· January, 2010

Stories about Western Europe from January, 2010

Greece: Fiscal Deficit

  24 January 2010

This month's updates on the 2009 Greek fiscal deficit – by Edward Hugh at A Fistful of Euros: here, here, here, here, and here. And a warning to Hungary – here: “So, Hungarian politicians be warned – You are not Greece right now, but you could so very easily end...

Egypt: Portraits of Egyptians

  24 January 2010

Tabsir.net published (here and here) few portraits of ordinary Egyptians, by the English artist Frederick Goodall (1822-1904), in the mid to late 19th century. Goodall's work is famous for providing a meticulous “ethnographic” view of Egypt at the time.

Haiti: Un Geste Pour Haiti Cherie

  23 January 2010

The Armenian Observer comments on the recording of a song by French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour and other French singers. The blog notes that Aznavour also recorded a song in the aftermath of the devastating 1988 Armenian earthquake.

Haïti: No haste about adoptions!

  20 January 2010

Haïti, après le séisme warns [Fr] about the evacuation of children waiting to be adopted : “To act in haste would be disastrous”. Facing adopting families’ growing impatience and lack of understanding, the NL, U.S. and French governments are taking different stances. From Canada, Secrétariat à l’adoption internationale, as well...

UK: Twitter joke led to Terror Act arrest

  18 January 2010

Sharpe's Opinion reacts sarcastically to the news of the first arrest in the United Kingdom over a Twitter joke:  “Round of applause of the police there. Keeping us safe from those dangerous terrorists who go round advertising their intentions on public social networking websites.”

Is France letting Haiti down?

  17 January 2010

French collective blog Etats du Lieu has a rant against what they feel as an abandoning of Haïti by the French government. So far, says the post, it has handled the issue with not much more than an emergency phone number, 100 fire fighters and a few million euros, whereas...

Haiti: “Solidarité Haïti”

  16 January 2010

After a few days of silence, the collective blog Solidarité Haïti, born after the 2008 hurricanes, has eventually posted [Fr] about a dozen solidarity and relief efforts led by French Caribbean people in Europe or elsewhere.

Egypt: Galloway is a persona non grata

  10 January 2010

Zeinobia writes about the new official news that British MP George Galloway has been declared persona non grata in Egypt – on the background of the Free Gaza March last week. He has been deported from the country and blacklisted in the official and some of the unofficial media too.

Video: Year End Traditions and Rituals

  1 January 2010

Around the world, people celebrate the arrival of the New Year with certain traditions. Today, through video we bring you some of the traditions and rituals people follow to improve their luck, fortune or other details in their life for the coming year.