Birthday gift ideas for Maastricht treaty, 20 years today
The Maastricht treaty, signed on 7 February 1992, came into force in November 1993, when most of cafebabel.com’s editorial team were children. The treaty heralded both the creation of the European union, formerly the ‘European economic community’, and the euro as a single currency. Two decades on, it’s attracting the wrath of crisis-struck Europeans Read article
- Video Obituary Wisława Szymborska: Polish poet and nobel literature prize winner
Absurdity, simplicity of the form, irony, a penchant for kitsch and unusual gifts which she used to distribute during the legendary dinners organised for her friends, a love for travel, modesty – these are only some of the characteristics that describe Wisława Szymborska (pronounced 'Viswava Shimborska'). The poet, one of the most optimistic personalities of the Polish literary world, died on 1 February aged 88. She was appreciated, among others, by Vaclav Havel, Umberto Eco, Woody Allen and the Swedish Academy, which crowned her the fourth ever Polish nobel literature prize laureate in 1996. Watch an excerpt of famed documentary Sometimes Life Is Actually Bearable (‘Chwilami życie bywa znośne’, 2009), by journalist Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska featuring the little mediatised poetess
ACTA, megaupload and kopimism: it'll all be e-right, just don't click download
The internet is looking pixelised. In the course of just a few months, the online community has downloaded an all-encompassing anger. The closure of megaupload marked the launch of an attack against piracy by various opaque laws and international treaties. The children of the internet are now searching desperately for the link which will take them to their favourite TV series, which form part of their virtual culture. The protests of citizens unable to find a balance between their rights and their responsibilities continue, expressing fear of the end of a system where ‘everything is free’. In times of uncertainty, some people worship the god of ‘copy’, others worry about the huge bill which they will have to pay when everything changes and others still envision the birth of e-rights. None of them are willing to lift their hands from the keyboard just because the authorities say so.
- Read the special edition ACTA, megaupload and kopimism: it'll all be e-right, just don't click download
- Isak Gerson, founder of kopimist church: 'File-sharing' is not 'stealing'
- Megaupload vs Sopa and Pipa: it'll be e-right on the night
- Megaupload, FBI, anonymous: internet battle over copyright
- Are you confiscating my ipod? EU citizens against ‘Acta’ treaty
Gallery | Lucian Freud
CIA in Greenland: story about a polar whodunit
What’s aboard the CIA aeroplanes that have been illegally flying over Greenland since 2001? That is what the Greenland government wants the Danish authorities to tell them. They, however, seem oddly reluctant to answer
Euro 2012 Warsaw stadium: once a bazaar hosting pop star popes
With its roof looking like a waving Polish flag, the national stadium became the newest addition to the Polish capital's fantastic skyline on 29 January. It opened seven months later than planned on the historic banks of the Vistula river but still in time for the 2012 European football championships this summer
Fictional Russian hopefuls in 2012 elections
Russia’s presidential elections on 4 March are creeping ever closer. Following demonstrations across Russia in the wake of parliamentary elections in December, the run-away favourite Vladimir Putin is now more of a walk-away favourite. Who else is in this one-horse race?
- Video Obituary: Greek director Theo Angelopoulos
One of the most important figures in modern Greek as well as world cinema was killed in a motorcycle accident on 24 January, in the middle of shooting for his latest film. Angelopoulos is hailed as an all-time great, his name synonymous in modern-day language usage for describing anything that is slow thanks to his elaborate style of using long extended takes. Amidst the dithyrambs mourning the screenwriter and producer, cinema critic Dimitris Danikas caused some consternation with comments that the director was stingy, arrogant and obsessed with the aesthetic. Born in Athens in 1935, Angelopoulos spent some time living in Paris, and scooped top awards at the Venice and Cannes film festivals. In tribute, watch the trailer of The Travelling Players (‘O Thiasos’, 1975), named one of the 100 best films of all time in Japan (Homepage image: (cc) George Laoutaris/ Flickr/ laoutaris.wordpress.com/)
Arab spring in Morocco: royalists recognise indigenous language
Large-scale protests, like those seen on 20 February 2011, continue to be a familiar sight in Morocco. We talk to young Moroccans whose demands follow in the footsteps of the Arab spring – democracy, freedom, social justice – albeit with a royalist twist
Schulz, new president of European parliament: Martin who?
Do you know who the president of the European parliament is? If not, read on: Martin Schulz isn't afraid of courting controversy and is planning to shake up the way Europe is run
Brunch with…
Sunday in Paris with Chopin and Steve Villa-Massone, street pianist
After trailing the streets of Europe with his piano - literally carrying it around - for ten years, the dedicated French pianist and composer from Nice is now bringing smiles to Parisian passers-by. We tag along with him in the streets of the French capital - the more of us around to push this heavy instrument, the better
Culture event guide
Dario Ivkovic: 'people don’t seem interested in roots of Balkan music'
Best-known as a member of both the German touring group Shantel & The Bucovina Club Orkestar and French band Les Yeux Noirs, the Serbian accordionist is an electrifying personality onstage. We talk music legends, Balkan beats and why 'girls like guitarists better'
Tower of babel
Europe-gate. Or how to name criminal investigations across Europe
Things are hotting up in Spain’s courts with the 'Gürtel' case. How does a Spanish juridical affair end up with a German name? European investigation titles go on trial
EU week
German, Swiss, Polish and local media on Romania prime minister resignation
Emil Boc resigned on 6 February due to massive protests against his centre-right government's austerity programme. Hours later president Traian Băsescu named the independent former head of the foreign intelligence service, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, as his successor. Romania needs an independent technocrat, but he will have his work cut out for him dealing with the intrigues of the opposition, commentators write
Yum Niam
Italian spritz aperol: the future’s orange
The Italian-born spritz aperol has gained official international recognition, being classed as a ‘new drink’ by the international bartenders’ association. We took this as an excuse to try out the sparkling brew, which the Italians will tell us is anything but new
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