Stories about Western Europe from January, 2009
French comedian launches “A Plane for Gaza”
French Moroccan comedian Jamel Debbouze launches, “A Plane for Gaza“, a plan to air lift humanitarian supplies to Gaza using three planes on loan from the King of Morocco. Le Blog de SmS urges readers to donate.
Poland, UK: Abortion
Polandian notes that thousands of Polish women are having abortions in the UK: “With it being illegal here in Poland, they are forced to travel to other countries thereby adding bureaucratic hassle and a strange environment/language to what must already be a very nasty and stressful situation.”
Serbia, UK: Stevo Jakšić, Rest in Peace
Alan Jakšić of Balkan Anarchist posts a moving tribute to his father, Stevo Jakšić, who passed away in June 2008.
The Netherlands: “A Soda With Karadzic”
Via A Fistful of Euros, a link to a lawyer's account of a meeting with Radovan Karadzic in The Hague.
Spain: Global Voices Lingua Partner Nominated for Web Award
Many of the Global Voices Lingua sites have been partnering with other media websites to exchange RSS headlines as a way to reach more readers in more languages. Recently, Global Voices in Spanish has collaborated with Periodismo Ciudadano, which was nominated as "Best Internet Project" in the Las Mejores Miradas competition sponsored by Spanish television.
From Italy to Palestine: Vittorio Arrigoni writes from Gaza
Vittorio Arrigoni is an Italian human rights activist who is currently in Gaza, one of a number of activists who arrived with the Free Gaza movement. Vittorio (Vik) blogs at Guerrilla Radio [it], and also writes for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto. His posts vividly describe what the people of Gaza are experiencing right now. In one, a doctor describes the effects of the white phosphorus shells Israel is accused of using: "He said that what was totally inexplicable was the total absence of eyeballs, which even in the case of trauma of that magnitude should stay in place, at least traces of them."
China and Hong Kong: Views on Gaza Conflicts
After the first intense air strikes in the Gaza Strip at the end of 2008, Israel continues the attacks on the densely populated Gaza in 2009 and it is expected to cost more Palestinian lives. While there are mass demonstrations against Israel’s military actions in London, Paris, Berlin, Athens and...
How is Laos related to Netherlands?
Lao Voices cites various historical, geographical and cultural facts which point out the similarities of Laos and The Netherlands.
Trinidad & Tobago: Wisdom of Children
Spending New Year's with friends and their children in “Babylondon” makes Trinidadian blogger Attillah Springer realise that: “I have the power to create what version of the future I want to live in.”
Russia-Europe: Gas crisis prompts return to nuclear power?
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe Blog reports how the Russo-Ukrainian gas crisis is beginning to have severe effects on deliveries to the European market, and how Bulgaria considers reopening one of its closed down nuclear plants.
Russia-Ukraine: Gas crisis from a German perspective
Gerhard Mangott analyses [GER] the Russo-Ukrainian gas crisis from a German perspective, and Der Spiegelfechter provides an extended account [GER] of developments.
Egypt: From Egyptian Artists to Artists of the World
Egyptian artists are lending their voices to the Palestinian cause, explaining to the rest of the world the history of the Arab-Israeli struggle from their view point. The initiative, spearheaded by Khaled El Sawy, a famous Egyptian actor and blogger, is called "A message from Egyptian artists to all artists of the world", and is targeted towards non-Arabs.
Palestine: UN School Hit By Israeli Shells; More than 40 Killed
At approximately 6:00 p.m. (GMT+2), Al Jazeera English reported that a UN school was hit when two tank shells exploded outside of the school. The school, located in Jabaliya, had been set up days ago as a shelter for Gaza residents who had lost or evacuated their homes. Over 40 people have been killed. Jillian York presents immediate reactions from the blogosphere and Twitter.
Gaza: “Sarkozy confuses the victim and the perpetrator!”
Moroccan blogger Partageons nos passions [Fr] on world reaction to the Gaza bombings: “Sarkozy confuses the victim and the perpetrator! Perez publicly denies the murder of children in Gaza and the bombing of mosques! Arabs are in a deep sleep! The United Nations…a big waste!”
Global: Protesters in Full Force Against Gaza War
Millions of people around the world took to the streets in protest against the Israeli attack on Gaza over the previous few days. Here's a selection of videos posted on YouTube featuring demonstrations from Tel Aviv, London, Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul, where citizens from all walks of life raised their voices and chanted for peace in the region.
U.K: London Gaza Protest
Photo This & That, the blog of British photographer Edmond Terakopian, posts photographs of yesterday's protest against Israeli military action in Gaza. In a second post, the established and award-winning news photographer of ethnic Armenian descent takes exception to police handling of the demo.
Global: Protests for Palestine
The world has come out in support of Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people have turned up at rallies and demonstrations over the past five days, which have spanned the globe. From Boston to Beirut, Cape Town to Caracas, citizens have shown their solidarity and support for Gaza. Jillian York zooms in on Flickr for some photo action.
Lithuania: France behind EU demands for nuclear shutdown?
Lituanica quotes and discusses allegations by Baltic media that France would have put pressure on Lithuania by way of the European Union for the closure of the country's Ignalina nuclear power plant. The suggested reason would be France's interest in supporting its own nuclear industry.
Popular rapper in France is Laotian
Check out a YouTube video featuring Bolo, a popular rapper in France who is a Laotian.
China: “Just the aftershocks from the earthquake would destroy France!”kids yell
It is astonishing to see kids in grade school reciting such a violent poem, which calls for the destroy of all those bear enmity against China. Is this a indoctrination of hatred, or a must education for motherland-love, as insists the teacher who organizes the recitation?
Lusosphere: Reform in Portuguese Language Not Welcomed
As of today, the reform of Portuguese language spelling begins to be implemented in Brazil. The same rules will eventually be implemented in Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe. Bloggers across the Lusosphere are not exactly happy about it.
