cafebabel.com

London to Berlin via Amsterdam: hyper-local citizen journalism grows

('l.hogan',) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:05:30 -0000

‘Hyper-local blogging’ concerns new blogs or online magazines characterised by their dedication to a particular area or locality. They may be a hub for local restaurant reviews, digital archives for local history or grow into daily, regional online magazines. Editors, contributors and readers explain their popularity

Steve James: 'In the 80s, I can’t imagine anyone wanted a documentary-making career'

('Helene Bienvenu',) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:22:46 -0000

The American director perhaps best known for his 1994 film Hoop Dreams is in Amsterdam for the city’s international documentary film festival. We talk 'new media', starting out in the eighties and why an oscars snub doesn't matter when you've got good old Europe to fall back on

International Documentary Film Festival: Amsterdam cinema’s leading lady

('Tom Gale',) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:46:37 -0000

In Amsterdam, there are coffee shops, bicycles, Rembrandt and a port. But between the paintings and the pedals lies the IDFA, the largest documentary film event in the world and one of the biggest festivals in the world you’ve probably never heard of

Job Cohen: is this who The Netherlands needs as leader?

('Christian Derlagen',) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:00:00 -0000

The moderate and highly popular Amsterdam mayor has revived the labour party, leading in polls before the 9 June elections. Will he be the wonder doctor for Dutch citizens´ worried minds and restore the country´s image in the world? Portrait of a future statesman

Fathoming the power of right-wing populist Geert Wilders in Europe

('euro topics',) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:31:36 -0000

If the freedom party leader is successful in the June parliamentary elections, Dutch politics will be destabilised and Europe will be forced to deal seriously with the man once nicknamed 'Mozart', write the Dutch, Swiss, Spanish and Slovakian press

More highs, fewer lies in Prague - the new Amsterdam?

('Andrew Christie',) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 -0000

15 grams of marijuana, five grams of hashish or even 1.5 grams of heroin. Thanks to a new law that came into effect on 1 January 2010, Czechs can stock up on drugs without fear of prosecution. The Czech Republic now has the most liberal drug laws in the whole of Europe, though its preventive measures still leave something to be desired

In 20 years, immigrant number in the Netherlands triples

('Cristina Rojo',) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:41:25 -0000

Five years after a Dutch man of Moroccan origins murdered Theo van Gogh in a fanatical attack, the word ’immigration’ is still hot on national lips. A focus taking in the Zuidoost immigrant neighbourhood through to the Schiphol airport detention centre

Anti-immigration, eurosceptic 'freedom party': what Geert Wilders wants

('Christian Derlagen',) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:49:56 -0000

The far right Dutch party has gained four seats in European parliament elections: to date, it is the second best result in Netherlands, after the christian democrats with 5. Participation has fallen to 36.5%. Dutch press and analysts say it may provoke new parliamentary elections, because the ruling coalition (of the christian democrats and the social democrats) has been weakened

Europeans who celebrate New Year’s Eve - on 30 December

('Kate Stansfield',) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:39:28 -0000

One fine day, two Spaniards and an Italian decided that they were tired of always spending New Year’s Eve doing the same thing. The Old Continent awaited, along with many people to meet. See out the year European-style!

Puff marijuana, not tobacco in Holland’s coffee shops

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0000

The anti-smoking law takes effect from 1 July in The Netherlands

Mister Cat graffiti: from Paris to Sarajevo

('Sarah Gray',) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

The Mister Cat phenomenon falls somewhere between anonymous marketing and ‘involuntary communication’. Spotted on rooftops from Geneva to New York, the feline seduced passers-by before moving on to museums

French adoption: ‘intercity babies’

('Sarah Gray',) — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Restrictive adoption law drives French lesbian couples across Belgian and Dutch borders to be artificially inseminated

Alternative lifestyles: 'I came to Amsterdam to live in a squat'

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:00:00 -0000

In the 1980s, a political movement of squatters changed the face of the Dutch capital. Today, young apolitical Eastern Europeans are joining the squatter movement

Lux Voor: the changing face of politics

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:00:00 -0000

Neither coalition nor legal organisation, the ‘Lux Voor’ movement, founded in March 2006, radically questions contemporary Dutch politics. We take a look at this flourishing network

Purchase power beats flower power on canals

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Once a favourite of the flower power generation, living on a canal boat has become a privilege for the young and affluent. Today modern houseboats are not longer dingy eccentric dwellings for the marginal, but fully equipped modern pads

The Amsterdam adventure

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Five journalists, five different nationalities and one European town… we take you behind the scenes and revisit our latest project to promote grassroots journalism

Dutch prostitution: from sex trade to trade unionism

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Though Prostitution was legalised in October 2000, Dutch call-girls enjoy little social recognition

Sects, song and a free meal

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 07:07:00 -0000

Amsterdam, Holland, summer 2006