Protests linked to America’s “Occupy Wall Street” movement are scheduled to take place this weekend in several German cities. Are the bank-bashing demonstrations about to go global?
Month: October 2011
The effects of global warming are very real for this tropical haven, where ocean waters threaten a delicate ecosystem. A closer look two years after Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed pledged to reach carbon neutrality with solar and wind power.
Public officials have been caught repeatedly in usury-related scandals in the wealthy southeastern city of Wenzhou. Not only is it a betrayal of public trust, it exposes an economic system that too often relies on illegal money lending.
Officials believe the drug, which is a mix that includes codeine and paint thinner, has arrived in Germany. Sold as a heroin substitute, “Krokodil” users only realize much later that they have consumed a substance that results in extreme
The rivalry between painters Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso is at the heart of an exhibition entitled “The Stein Family,” currently showing at the Grand Palais in Paris, through Jan. 16.
Borrowing from a long tradition of Russian protest music, well-known singer Andrei Makarevich has just released a satirical song on YouTube that pokes fun at the country’s powerful prime minister, Vladimir Putin.
Plans to build what would be South Korea’s largest naval base have divided public opinion and put Gangjeong, a small fishing town, at the very center of the conflict. A recent peace festival held alongside the town’s port drew 1,500 protesters – and 1,000
Oil continues to wash ashore along New Zealand’s North Island following last week’s grounding of a Liberian-flagged cargo ship. The prime minister promises to clean the area’s pristine beaches “no matter what the cost,” but among locals, frustration is mo
A R A B I C A ارابيكا FAIR ELECTIONSA coalition of Bahraini opposition groups issued what it called the “Manama Document” on Wednesday demanding the ruling Al Khalifa family implement reforms to allow for elected government and fair elections. The coalition of five associations (political parties are banned) includes Islamists and secular movements. The […]
Tucked in between Beijing and Tijanjin is a “village” with all the trappings of Rome, Florence and Milan combined. Welcome to Florentina Village, an Italian-themed outlet mall that’s already drawing upwards of 25,000 visitors per day.
A recent court decision will force Gol, a Brazilian carrier, to plant trees around its hub in Guarulhos. The ruling stems from a suit filed by the city government in Guarulhos, which is choked by pollution from the adjacent Sao Paulo airport, Latin Americ
Analysis: This year’s revolutionary wave in the Arab World has already toppled several dictators. But as the “Arab Spring” turns to Autumn, incidents like last weekend’s attack on Coptic Christians in Cairo offer a grim reminder that the region’s troubles
The head of the French Immigration service recently concluded a visit to Bucharest, where he made a first-hand inspection of Ferentari, the city’s principal Roma neighborhood. France’s goal this year is to send up to 30,000 Roma back to their countries of
Tourism operators are beginning to take note of an increasingly outspoken niche market: would-be travelers who think holidays and screaming kids don’t mix. In Germany, several hotels have taken the bold step of instituting “no children allowed” policies.
After a Russian soccer fan was killed following an argument with an Azerbaijani, ultra-nationalists held a rally near Red Square in Moscow that led to 100 arrests. Soccer stadiums are increasingly the bastion of xenophobic movements in Russia.
France is also seeing its baby-boomer generation reach retirement age. And many new French retirees, with the time and money to spare, are opting to take the RV route. Still, they could still have trouble down the road finding places to park.
Liang Wengen, founder of industrial giant Sany, will stand as a candidate for the Communist Party Central Committee. It is a sign that the status of the entire group of Chinese private entrepreneurs is rapidly changing.
Currency structures are wobbling perilously as U.S. investors unload foreign holdings. The recent dramatic reversal of flows in the capital markets could bring the global economy to a screeching halt.
A new study shows ever more devout Jews are joining the Israeli military, and some wonder if the situation has reached a tipping point that could further push an already edgy region toward a religion-fueled showdown.
Sicilian tax collectors are cracking down on a large, underground industry: weddings. Because many weddings services on the Italian island are done off the books, newlyweds must name the suppliers of their dresses, cakes and photos — and whether they han
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie DEATH TOLLThe London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 31 people were killed in Syria on Sunday, 17 of whom were soldiers said to have been killed by the Syrian Free Army comprised of military defectors in Homs, Hama, Daraa and Idlib. A video […]
Analysis: the first-ever open Socialist party primary has injected new life into France’s center-left opposition. But of the two candidates who survived for next Sunday’s runoff, François Hollande and Martine Aubry, whoever emerges faces
With time running out, France’s Sarkozy and Germany’s Merkel have moved closer to a framework that would allow for a debt cut for Greece, and protect those French banks that might not withstand the partial Greek default. The health of th
Op-Ed: Chinese want to know how to combat the abuse of power by top officials who force demolition of people’s homes to make way for new development projects. But rather than focusing on cracking down after the fact, citizens must simply demand a say in w
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Dexia Agrees To Franco-Belgian Rescue Deal
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Nobel Economics Awarded
Thomas Sargent and Christopher Sims win Nobel economics prize, AP reported (developping).
From Heineken and Krups to Pierre Hardy and Peugeot, more and more companies are joining forces – and labels – in an effort to give their respective brands an added buzz.
PARIS/AP — A moderate French leftist once dismissed as soft as a strawberry dominated nationwide primary voting Sunday, and emerged the top likely challenger to the divisive and impulsive Nicolas Sarkozy for the nation’s presidency. Pollsters say Francois Hollande, a longtime Socialist leader who urged his party to embrace European integration, could easily dislodge the […]
Essay: Reaching yet another new low, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi suggests a vulgar, sexist new name for his political party. No less disturbing is how the economic crisis has revealed the fact that he’s been selling Italy an empty ba
An Italian reporter pays a visit to one of Singapore’s many low-commission, high-confidentiality betting outlets. Investigators say bets were placed in these locations in a match-fixing scandal involving top players now undermining fan confidence
The world’s second largest retailer, Carrefour, insists it is not pulling out of the massive Chinese market. Still, a closer look at the French company’s struggles offers a window into how quickly things can change when doing big busines
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie LIBYA, AL QAEDA LINKS?Tripoli military commander Abdelhakim Belhadj denies al-Qaeda fighters are among ranks of rebel forces, quoted in Al-Quds al-Arabi, a London-based daily. LIBYA, CIA LINKS?A Facebook group calling itself “Wikileaks Libya” posted documents exposing efforts by a number of former American intelligence […]
Economic difficulties in Europe and the United States may finally be landing to China. In Wenzhou, a mid-sized city near Shanghai, entrepreneurs are tightening their belts – and skipping town in some cases – as operating costs rise and loans become scarce
A number of wealthy and well-connected Swiss families are turning their homes into classical music venues. A throwback to the aristocratic salon-scene of yesteryear, Zurich’s private concerts can be elegant affairs, though the organizers insist they are n
France’s universities have made major headway in attracting foreign students in recent years. But more needs to be done if the country’s top schools hope to score better on international rankings and draw more of the world’s best and brightest.
Op-Ed: There will be a heavy price to pay for the recent detention of more than 150 accused of being part of a banned separatist Kurdish group. Those sure to benefit are hardliners on all sides as hopes grow dimmer for a democratic solution to the Kurdish
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Placebos Can Be Bona Fide Painkillers
Memories formed following previous intake of actual drugs are triggered by a placebo pill resulting in a real effect to fight pain and inflammation, according to a new Italian study. First thing, though, you better trust your doctor.
He’s organized exhibitions from Johannesburg to New York. Now, Nigerian-American curator Okwui Enwezor, the new director of Munich’s historic Haus der Kunst, is taking Germany by storm.
Bashar Al-Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy forces has killed thousands in cities like Rastan and Daraa. But the regime is also pursuing opponents abroad. In Paris, several activists have been beaten by shadowy characters presumed to be Syrian secret ser
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How Birkenstocks Became Hip
They used to be the eco-shoe par excellence, footwear of choice for the ‘No Nukes’ crowd. But now that green has gone mainstream – so have Birkenstocks. The cork-rubber-and-leather German sandals known more for comfort than their good lo