cafebabel.com

Meeting Mario Monti, interim Italian prime minister

('Tobias Sauer',) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:45:42 -0000

On 13 November the independent candidate, known as the president of Italian university Bocconi, officially succeeded Silvio Berlusconi in the middle of a deep debt crisis. Ave Mario, cries French newspaper Le Monde. Super Mario, scream spoof websites. We meet at a press conference in Berlin

Journalist Irakli Berulava: ‘Georgia has lost opportunity that rose revolution created’

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:00:04 -0000

‘Gloomy’ is how the correspondent of reporters without borders (RSF) in Georgia describes the media situation in the South Caucasus countries. Self censorship, governmental pressures and democratical regression after the rose revolution of 2003 are mining the field of journalism, says the man who is also a blogger, film director and producer

Welcome to the Hotel Abkhazia

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:00:25 -0000

The recent wave of eviction of South Ossetian and Abkhazian refugees or 'internally displaced persons' into the Georgian capital Tbilisi is provoking the indignation of human rights associations

Expats: from London to Srebrenica this July

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:45:42 -0000

The difference between summer in the UK and summer in Bosnia-Herzegovina is much more apparent around the date of the anniversary of the massacre in July 1995, when 8, 000 Bosniak men were killed. Notes from an expat abroad on cafebabel.com's official Sarajevo blog

cafebabel.com blogs: Brussels base for European geek girls

('Brussels Blogger',) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:12:26 -0000

They are lobbyists, consultants, functionaires, geeks of every age and industry who work in the European bubble. They buzz around the same bubble but never meet. When they do, the meeting is not an occasion for small talk, but for networking

Ireland, bailout and latest cafebabel.com blog 'Euromyths'

('ggbrunt',) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:45:34 -0000

Once again the presentation in the media of the financial rescue package of a eurozone country is plainly wrong. The so-called 'bailout' does not consist in a gift of capital to Ireland, and taxpayers are most likely not to pay anything as a consequence. Extract from cafebabel.com's blog in the dock

Greece 2010 mayoral poll: first social(ist) media elections

('Georgios Kokkolis',) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:48:39 -0000

New Athens and Thessaloniki mayors George Kaminis and Yiannis Boutaris managed the impossible on 14 November. This socialist victory sends five main messages - including the fact that 'people dont give a monkeys about the politicians'. Extract from the cafebabel.com blog in Athens

Celebrating eid without a mosque in Athens

('Georgios Kokkolis',) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:10:05 -0000

For the first time, group prayer celebrating the end of Ramadan was held this morning in the Kotzia square by Muslims living in Athens, capital of a country which is 96% Greek orthodox - blog excerpt

Caustic ‘Kataryna’ – outed ‘empress of Polish blogosphere’

('Aleksandra Sygiel',) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:00:00 -0000

The Warsaw-based political blogger saw her identity revealed by warring ‘traditional’ journalists in 2009, some who accused her of having a ‘male’ view and of meddling in political scandals. Exclusive interview from the thirty-something NGO director, who has been blogging anonymously since 2004

Arianna Huffington: blogger role model for Greek girls

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:18:47 -0000

With quotes like 'Darlings, make blogs, not war', the Athenian, 60, has become a big name stateside. However, the woman once known as Arianna Stassinopoulos has never seen the same notoriety in Greek circles. Too bad

Lithuania's female bloggers: cooking, sex and the city

('Daiva Repe\xc4\x8dkait\xc4\x97',) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:11:53 -0000

Somewhere between the 200, 000 Lithuanians in the UK and the 3 million at home, bloggers are making their own female-shaped dent in the internet universe

Natalie Weiss: German fashion blogger 'Schnati in Paris'

('Annie Rutherford',) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 -0000

'Schnati', 22, has been blogging on the biggest German fashion blog LesMad ('Les Mademoiselles') since 2008. In her own blog 'Schnati à Paris' she presents her own outfits, shares inspirations and reports from fashion events

Birgitta Jonsdottir, Iceland's woman politician blogger

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:30:00 -0000

The politician, blogger and Wikileaks ‘friend’ from Reykjavik, 43, proposed a law which aims to convert the island into a model of digital transparency and safe haven for journalists; it was passed in June. Interview with a mother-of-one who is ‘everything but your traditional politician’

Vilnius: 'Jerusalem of Lithuania'

('Daiva Repe\xc4\x8dkait\xc4\x97',) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:47:26 -0000

Tired after a busy day and prepared for a casual chat, I meet a summer school student, with whom I've arranged to do Hebrew language tandem. 'Do you mind keeping me company to go to the synagogue?' Apparently, the person is a second year convert-in-progress to Judaism. 'Umm, my skirt is kind of short for that...' Anecdote from cafebabel.com blog ‘Wonderland'

Bloggers in Romania, hailed by President Terminator

('Caroline Prosser',) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Between fierce entrepreneurs, A-listers, history re-writers and new media journalists, bloggers are thriving in Romania. It's hailed by the president, but not well liked by other media stalwarts. The country, one of three ‘partially free’ medias in the EU (alongside Bulgaria and Italy), ranks a poor 50th on the European press freedom index

Diary: a Lithuanian checks in at Tel Aviv airport

('Daiva Repe\xc4\x8dkait\xc4\x97',) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:03:50 -0000

Many people have complained it took lots of time for them to leave Israel. I was a rather unclear case, and being a woman from eastern Europe often spells trouble. Anecdote from cafebabel.com blog 'Wonderland'

There's something suspect about the Greek crisis

('Elina Makri',) — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:32:46 -0000

The crisis that started in Greece has gone beyond control. Who is making money on the collapse? Murmours from the official blog of the cafebabel.com in Athens

Cafe Niesen in Prenzlauer Berg: no children please

('Emily Corfe',) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:20:44 -0000

Prams, buggies, babies, toddlers, kids... you name it, anything child related, Prenzlauer Berg will have it. This includes a cafe which has been open since 2005 but is getting media attention now - extract from the official blog of the cafebabel.com team in Berlin

President dead: what political future for Poland?

('Dave Keating',) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:16:51 -0000

An election for a new president will need to be held in sixty days, but it’s hard to see how Polish society can pull itself together so quickly since their top illuminaries were largely killed in a plane crash on 10 April. Extract from cafebabel.com's Belgium-based American blogger 'Gulf Stream Blues'

Overqualified graduates desperately seek internships

('GLDFSH',) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:57:48 -0000

They would be willing to pay to work: from the private sector to the European institutions, interns are the only category of 'workers' that we rarely hear complain. This is the story of the debate organised by cafebabel.com Brussels in the Belgian capital

European bloggers describe their Berlin walls

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:20:11 -0000

Monday is 9 November, the day when the Berlin wall was brought down. To reflect on this iconic modern historical event for the eurogeneration, citizen journalists from five cafebabel.com local teams - Sofia, Budapest, Turin, Strasbourg and Istanbul - simultaneously blogged one day about the walls they see in their cities

Le Corps Mince de Francoise: 'fuck off saying we’re trendy. We sing about what we are'

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:14:35 -0000

The trio hail from Helsinki, record in Berlin and are managed in the UK. We meet in Paris to dissect their pan-European wanderings and find out why exactly they diss boys and Finland so much in their screamy surface pop-experimental sound

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

Blogs on ten years of a euro blessing or a euro curse

('Ole Skambraks',) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Those pastel red bridges and pale blue arches decorating the common currency we carry in our pockets is a constant reminder of the European Union. Ten years after its introduction, people have gotten used to the Monopoly-like notes. But what role do they have in the credit crunch?

Bloggers and facebookers want president Barroso out

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:10:32 -0000

'We don't care who, but the commission needs a new president in 2009'. Members of the 'Anyone But Barroso' campaign are none too keen on the current chief of the EU commission. Can it influence the European elections in June? Latest titbit of news from Brussels

Cost of Life day: Budapest Europe’s cheapest capital?

('Ole Skambraks',) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:45:00 -0000

Twelve cafebabel.com local teams, from Sofia to London, spent one night simultaneously going for a movie, followed by dinner, a drink and a ride home on public transport. Compare their costs, and you’ll find that Europe is not as homogenised as we tend to believe

The 2008 economic crisis explained

('Dave Keating',) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0000

These trying times for Europe’s economy have been driven by two main factors, neither of which were created by Europe. Now there is little the continent can do but wait and hope external factors change

The Caucasus war viewed through Europe's blogs

('Ole Skambraks',) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:35:50 -0000

Blogospheres are vibrating in the aftermath of the war in the Caucasus. The need to understand and debate is huge, as spin doctors have been manipulating the news on both sides

Babelblogs: little princes and book fair bombs

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

Some European member states don't get much attention, but are often worth a detour. Our multilingual community blogs take you there

Architecture blogs in Romania, Spain and England

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Most blogs devoted to architecture cover the whole of Europe through their importance, often even the whole world, by not limiting themselves to the presentation of this set of themes exclusively within the author’s country of origin

Babelblogs: Macedonia, cloning and praying in Berlin

('Susannah Readett-Bayley',) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Europe is often seen as boring and bureaucratic - not the case with cafebabel.com’s community blogs. European debate is in full swing, bloggers are up in arms and words are flying

Blogging Kosovo, Erasmus and poetry

('Susannah Readett-Bayley',) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Existential crises in Berlin, self-critical French and new nation states - the best of our babelblogs this fortnight

Headscarfs from Europe's presidents on Mars

('Martyn Hawkins',) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Are you waiting for the snow in Tallinn? Bothered about a piece of cloth in Turkey? Or taking a politics lesson with McCain? The latest news from our babelblogs

Babelblogs: Olympics of human rights

('Natalia Sosin',) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0000

British exes, banking superheros, Athens and garapos in Cuba - plus the latest Franco-German blog to watch out for

Eighties generation: we're not childless losers

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Despite their reputation, twentysomethings often have more to offer than first meets the eye

Born in the eighties

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Twenty-something baby losers. Often disparaged, yet the 'eighties generation' harbour multiple talents. First part of a series of portraits exchanging Paris and Berlin

God bless our babelblogs

('Natalia Sosin',) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0000

From Prishtina to Kiev with our new reporters project, via Istanbul and the US along the comic soundtrack of Europe - by Groucho Marx and Tim Burton

Bloomin' babelblogs

('Natalia Sosin',) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0000

From the deserts of Dubai to French rugby fields, sliding from rural land to urban city, smashing crossroads and borders - babelblogs are everywhere

There’s no place like Zverynas

('Natalia Sosin',) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:00:00 -0000

This week we look at parades, journalism, amputations and isolated communities living in the woods... Only on babelblogs

You don't wanna miss a thing!

('Natalia Sosin',) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Let's talk about sex, politics, and licking European commissioners on cafebabel.com's newly launched community pages and first multilingual blogging platform

Attack from the blogosphere

('Francesca Reinhardt',) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0000

The online web community, 'StudiVerzeichnis', is hailed as the success story of generation Web 2.0 in Germany. But bloggers are questioning whether it is a true network phenomenon

American politicians launch blogging campaign

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 02:00:00 -0000

North American politicians and their advisers launch an electoral campaign on the blogosphere

Bloggers’ war against traditional media in Lebanon

('Sarah Turpin',) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 11:52:00 -0000

A Lilliputian army of bloggers and freelance journalists are besieging the Western media. According to the provocative point of view of a young blogger, the Western media is too often inclined to demonise Israel.

“The audience has a role to play in the future of journalism”

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:00:00 -0000

Thanks to blogs, today everyone is a journalist. But will this uncontrolled media hurt the overall quality of the press? Dan Gillmor, author of 'We the Media', claims this new journalism will ultimately be profitable for everyone