cafebabel.com

China, world economy dragon mummy to Europe

('Agata Jaskot',) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 -0000

China has not become as helpful and friendly to the EU as some European presidents might have wished, but its investors, literary figures and linguistic opportunities are a source of dynamism. Here's a brief chart of its positive and negative growth effects, and how that impacts or influences Europeans

Ireland’s ‘accidental emigrants’

('Gary Finnegan',) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:34:33 -0000

While thousands of young people are fleeing Ireland as the depression deepens, others who planned to return are stranded overseas. One writer tells of how the doors 'closed behind him' after moving to Brussels and Beijing

Economy lesson from young Europeans: move to China and start saving now

('Agata Jaskot',) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:45:00 -0000

EU officials are brainstorming the programme of Denmark's six-month presidency of the EU, as young, ambitious Europeans give us their financial lessons from the 'crisis year' 2011

Ai Weiwei, or Europe's role in Chinese justice system

('Andrew Burgess',) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:04:24 -0000

Two months after his release, an article penned by the Chinese dissident has once again raised questions about the democratic future of China. Published in Newsweek, Ai Weiwei’s piece provokes us to rethink Sino-European diplomatic relations

Student duelling clubs in Europe: no Harry Potter magic in Germany

('Annie Rutherford',) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:03:54 -0000

In mid-June the Alte Breslauer duelling club in Bonn petitioned its national umbrella organisation to stipulate German descent as a criterium for accepting the currently 1, 300 students into these legendary student societies. In June, a society in Mannheim allowed a German of Chinese descent to join. The case drags the just over 100 German duelling clubs, which are accused of harbouring extreme right-wing ideologies, into a negative rather than magical light

French students in Shanghai make 'crepes by Johnny Depp'

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:09:32 -0000

Little did they know when these European architecture exchange students set up their own stall on the Chinese metropole of 23 million, that it’d lead to a mini-revolution in May

China's rise and Europe's decline

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:59:36 -0000

On 14 February China overtook Japan as the world's second largest economy. Signs and portents of the arrival of a new great power were everywhere from the middle of January 2011

Li Kequiang's in Europe, and Europe knows it

('eurotopics',) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:15:00 -0000

The Chinese vice-premier is in Europe. He has signed billion-dollar business agreements and promised to purchase the government bonds of ailing EU countries like Portugal. Does this cheque book politics conceal the dictatorship's true motives? The Iberian and Austro-German press have raised the alert

Liu Xiaobo: Chinese prisoner and Nobel peace prize winner

('eurotopics',) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:45:00 -0000

The detained Chinese civil rights activist Liu Xiaobo was awarded the nobel peace prize in absentia in Oslo on 10 November; the Serb, Russian and Ukrainian governments were three of 19 world countries absent too. The Chinese government fears social change and is only harming its own interests with Liu's detention, write the Danish, Austrian, Belgian and Lativa press

Five questions about the Korean conflict

('victor escandell',) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:45:00 -0000

On 23 November North Korea turned the heat up with the first attack on South Korea civilians since the end of the war in 1953. There were four casualties on Yeonpyeong Island. Spanish journalist Alberto Lebrón explains why diplomacy is working with the weapons loaded

What's going on with China as guest of honour at the Frankfurt book fair?

('euro topics',) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:16:36 -0000

At the opening ceremony on 13 October, in the presence of Chinese vice president Xi Jinping, German chancellor Angela Merkel said there would be 'no taboos'. The Italian, Swiss, Spanish and German press react

I quit Facebook - even Bill Gates did

('Astrid vW',) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:14:15 -0000

More than 250 million people have registered themselves on Facebook. This spectacular number will soon be surpassed; the social network is growing at a rate of 5 million users a week. Nonetheless, the giant is not unstoppable. Its critics are also multiplying, and some are choosing to log off the network for the final time

Notes: mid-twenties crisis of a journalist going round the world

('Lydia Bigos',) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:22:18 -0000

The day that I turned 25, I decided to just leave everything - work, my family, the flat I rented with some friends. I bought a round the world ticket and embarked on a year-long journey. Summary of a blog recognised by as 'the best non-English language blog' at the 'Lonely Planet travel bloggers’ awards

China reacts to the Guantanamo proposal

('Daiva Repe\xc4\x8dkait\xc4\x97',) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:15:00 -0000

On 11 February the Lithuanian government announced that they were ready to take up to 10 Guantanamo prisoners. US president Barack Obama has said the Cuba-based prison will be closed within a year

Pat Cox: 'Europe managed the economic crisis impressively'

('Andrew Christie',) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:00:00 -0000

The former president of the European council talks economic crisis, China and the Irish electorate’s rejection of the Lisbon treaty, three topics currently spicing up the European political scene

EU bans Chinese milk and serves toxic coffee

('Ole Skambraks',) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:54:06 -0000

After banning milk and dairy-products in September, the EU decided to extend restrictions on food imports from the Middle Kingdom on 3 December. High levels of the toxic chemical melamine were also found in Chinese eggs and soya products

Ice-cream: born in China

('Erin Woycik',) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0000

A fascinating look at how ice-cream has travelled from the Far East to Europe, and from the highest peaks to our deep freezers

China, superstition and sport – from monastery to NBA

('Mary Maistrello',) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:15:26 -0000

In this giant Asian country, even sport needs a less bureaucratic and more open model in order to be more competitive

Hosting the Olympics won't improve your life

('Catherine Neilan',) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:30:50 -0000

Enthusiastic as preparations may appear on the world stage, the positive economic and human rights impact of the August Olympic Games will be minimal in China

Frankfurt - Beijing: getting German Olympic rowers to China

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:00:08 -0000

Organising the transport of boats and beer from Germany to far-off China could be considered an Olympic challenge in itself

Photos: the China dream in Shanghai and Guanghzou

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:22:48 -0000

As preparations for the Beijing Olympics in August gain momentum, spectacular urban facilities are taking shape across China. View through the keyhole

Chinese textile workers use internet points in Prato

('Graeme Johanson',) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:54:52 -0000

Of the 35 million Chinese who live outside China, 180,000 are in Italy. An investigation into whether internet use in cafes by the Chinese community in a province of Tuscany hinders as an integrative tool

Migration in Paris’ Chinatown: a reality in Europe

('Delphine Lawrance',) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:15:00 -0000

With Chinatowns sprouting in every major European city, immigrants travel more between one country to the next. Does it make them more European than ‘real’ Europeans?

Napoleon's Chinese whispers

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:24:28 -0000

How western Europeans use the word 'China' to express being stressed, arrogant or insignificant

China opens up after Sichuan earthquake

('Akli Hadid',) — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:00:00 -0000

62, 664 have died and five million are homeless since the 7.9 magnitude quake on 12 May. The EU has pledged two million euros in aid

Bike traffic: return of the scorchers

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Environmentally conscious cyclists regularly battle errant cars in European cities

Olympic games: Europe up in arms over Tibet

('Susannah Readett-Bayley',) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

A huge victory for some, enormous disappointment for others. For the first ever time, the Olympic torch has been extinguished under mass pressure, as Europe makes itself heard

Brussels: parliament rift over Tibet

('Annika Thornton',) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

To boycott or not to boycott the Peking Olympic Games, Europe's MEPs ask, a mozzarella crisis and Sarkozy honeymooning at 10 Downing Street - it's your latest from Brussels

Eyewitness: Tibet out of control

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

As the tension between the Tibetan monks versus Chinese control escalates, we hear a 25-year-old Swiss tourist's version of events after a week in the capital, Lhasa

Railway to the roof of the world

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:00:00 -0000

The world’s highest railway was opened between Peking and Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, in July. It has not only opened the door to modernity, but has aroused new clashes between the Chinese government and the Tibetans

Meru - new Second Life

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0000

The alternative to Second Life has Europe in its sights, according to Vladlen Koltun, a 27 year old professor from Stanford

December: pure culture seeker

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Berlin sparks and pixels, free Splash electro in Paris, European student cinema festival in Manchester and eat yourself to death in Lodz

From China and the Middle East with love in Bucharest

('Luciana Grosu',) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Shopping around the city’s northern Europa complex, where two migrant businessmen from the Romanian capital’s integrated communities discuss leaping and boundng with the EU's eight-month old member state

Chinese characters

('Daniel G. Ross',) — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Afraid of China ? Not a smidgen! It is predicted that within the near future there will be more software developers, pianists or cars in China than in Europe, as well as a surge in air pollution that will annihilate the effects of all the solar-energy panels on Old Continent. In short: China is becoming powerful

Missiles in East Europe – for or against the EU?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Plans to build US missile sites force Europeans to reconsider their position

David Calleo: 'free trade is the last great religion of the West'

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 12:00:00 -0000

On the eve of the global Davos Economic Forum, North American intellectual David Calleo describes his vision of the role Europe plays in globalisation

EU-China: 'Time for balance, not envy'

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:00:00 -0000

In seeking greater loyalty from the Asian giant, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations, launches a new cooperation agreement in China this week. What do we Europeans know about the Chinese?

Translating threats: Chinese immigrants fight to stay in France

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:00:00 -0000

Nicolas Sarkozy vowed to step up deportations of illegal immigrants to 25,000. A network of teachers fights to defend pupils and their families

'No concrete measures can be expected from the meeting'

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:00:00 -0000

Dr. Willem van der Geest, President of the European Institute for Asian Studies in Brussels, one of the most authoritative voices in the field, gives us the keys to understanding the ASEM meeting and the new season of EU-China Relations

Could Kosovo join the EU?

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 12:00:00 -0000

While the Balkan province is mourning the death of president Ibrahim Rugova, the issue of its independence from Belgrade is still on the UN negotiating table