Stories about Western Europe from January, 2013
NGO Penalized for Requesting Information on Corruption in Spain
After a five-year legal battle, the NGO Access Info Europe has been sentenced to pay 3,000 euros after the Supreme Court ruled that it did not have the right to know what Spain does to fight against corruption.
2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 2
This second part of our 2012 review in the Francophone world features civil rebellion and governance problems in Togo, Chad and Madagascar, citizen initiatives in Senegal, fight for more transparency in public affairs in Cameroon and ongoing debates on social issues in France.
Homophobic Hashtag Makes Waves on Twitter in France
The hashtag #SiMonFilsEstGay made waves on Twitter on December 22, 2012, in the French twittersphere. The hashtag is basically a homophobic incitement to violence accompanied by some poor taste "humorous" tweets. The alleged jokes consisted of telling other Twitter users the punishment you would give your son if he turned out to be gay. Some posts expressed a disturbing penchant for violence.
Tuareg Families Regroup to Avoid Airstrikes in Northern Mali
We must regroup so that airplanes can tell us apart from the targeted ismalists fighters who will be on the move. Tuareg refugees in Borj and Timeaouine in Northern Mali are hurrying to gather around their family members in order to avoid airstrikes by French planes against islamist groups, Tamoudre reports...
2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 1 of 2
The year 2012 was marked by armed conflicts in Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. There were elections in Senegal, Quebec and France, while demonstrations for change took place in Chad, Madagascar and Togo. Debates raged on issues such as immigration, the economic crisis and equality in marriage laws. This is the first part of a review of the year 2012 in Francophone countries.
Rethinking Public Service: Portuguese Bloggers Translate IMF Report
Whether you agree with its content or not, it is unacceptable that the only available version is in English. The author of the Portuguese blog Aventar refers [pt] to a recent report released by the IMF, ‘Rethinking the State – Selected Expenditure Reform Options’, which “may be the basis for...
Students Revisit the Unique Link between Corsica and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico and Corsica (France) share a common bond that is often revisited by an exchange program led by the university of Puerto Rico [fr]. Notwithstanding their similar geographic and agricultural traits (Cultivation of Corsican Citron), the islands are also link by history when hundreds of Corsicans immigrated to Puerto Rico as early...
Misconceptions about the Economic Situation in Iceland
BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF PEOPLE SPREADING UNTRUTHS Baldur Bjarnason writes a blogpost on how the crisis in Iceland is actually unfolding on Studio Tendra. He details the cozy relationship between the Iceland government and the IMF, decrypts the banks going bankrupt and especially denounced the plight of a growing number of...
Day by Day Happiness for the Elderly
A collective of Portuguese artists has come together to illustrate practical daily definitions of happiness for the elderly. The online calendar can be found on Felicidário.
Twitterer Called to Testify in Spain for Gramsci Quotes
A Twitter user and activist with the 15M "indignant" movement, @almu_en_lucha, has been called to testify before the Spanish police's Technology Crime Squad regarding the content of some of her Tweets.
Brazil Debates Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation – Part II
While European politics has made a favorable move to abolish prostitution as a legalized profession in the old continent, recently in France a couple was convicted to three years in prison for organizing a prostitution scheme of young Brazilians. In Brazil, the government and the media are trying to raise awareness on human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Dueling Demonstrations Surround Same-Sex Marriage in France
For several months there has been a raging debate in France surrounding 'universal marriage' (i.e. same-sex marriage). Those who oppose same-sex marriage Commitment 31 want for the whole nation, not merely the parliamentarians, to engage in the debate.
Should Prostitution be Abolished or Regulated? Part I
Two hundred NGO's from across Europe gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels on December 4, 2012. They called for the abolition of prostitution and presented the outlines of a potential abolitionist policy for Europe. For these organisations, criminalization of prostituion is the key to counter human trafficking for sexual purposes. In Europe and around the world, sex workers disagree with the proposed measures and ask for more respect for their rights.
Japan: Digital Backyard in Sapporo
The three-day conference “Digital Backyards” initiated by smal.jp and berlinergazette.de will take place in Sapporo on January 10-12, 2013. There will be a barcamp-style networking event on January 10 and 11 for journalists, activists, bloggers, researchers, entrepreneurs, cultural workers and programmers to define problems and come up with solutions. The outcome will be...
Spain: New Year, New Party, New System
“Happy 2013! The year in which we will reinitiate the system." This was the first message that appeared on Twitter on December 31st at midnight from Partido X, Partido del Futuro (Party X, Party of the Future), a new political group that has burst onto the Spanish Internet scene with force.
Sex Allegations Hound Russia's Top Blogger
As RuNet was preparing to celebrate the New Year, Tatyana Delsal, estranged ex-wife of popular blogger and Coordinating Council member Rustem Adagamov, has accused him of statutory rape.
Italy: #iostoconmarco, hunger strike against inhuman jail conditions
Marco Pannella, long-standing Radical Party leader, went on hunger-and-thirst strike demanding better living conditions in Italian jails -- with great support and lively discussion on social media. Now the hope is to see these topics included in political parties' programs leading up to February 2013 general elections.
Row over 3rd Generation Contraceptive Pills in France
The “new” pills are not without risks. The risk of phlebitis or pulmonary embolism is increased two fold, from 2 to 4 accidents per 10,000 users. This increase might seem low in terms of public health but it is significant at the individual level considering the fact that other satisfactory alternatives are...
Arab World: Al-Andalus: Fall or Reconquista?
While people in Spain celebrated “El día de la Toma de Granada”, those in the Arab world debated whether it was an Arab occupation of Iberian Peninsula or not.
Call for Portuguese Blogs of the Year 2012
Around 380 blogs have already registered on the ‘Blogs of the Year 2012′ competition launched by Aventar.eu. The most interesting citizen media initiatives from the Portuguese and Portuguese language blogosphere can register until January 4, 2012. Voting starts on January 7.
