#Europe agenda: “US alt-right joins Russia in anti-Macron attack [in French Elections]

US alt-right joins Russia in anti-Macron attack EUobserver.com – Headline News Right-wing US and UK social media users have tried to start an online “war” to stop Macron being elected, but with little success. Populism: The French election’s big winner AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (IN DEPTH) How outsider candidates threw the traditional left-right battle into disarray. Macron pushes republican … Read more

#journalism agenda: Google on an international framework for digital evidence…Facebook wants to embrace great journalism [despite its algorithms…

Facebook wants to embrace great journalism — try telling that to their algorithms Mashable! by Jason Abbruzzese Facebook’s in the midst of a serious campaign to convince everyone how much it cares about journalism. Even at F8, the company’s giant developer conference taking place this week, it’s saucing on the charm. An international framework for digital evidence  The … Read more

#Journalism agenda: “Data Journalism Awards 2017: Call for submissions

Data Journalism Awards 2017: Call for submissions  The Official Google Blog by Simon RogersData Editor, Google News Lab With trust in journalism under attack, data journalism has never been more vital. And this year, for the sixth consecutive year, we’re proud to support the 2017 Data Journalism Awards. But you need to get your skates on: … Read more

While Reza Zarrab approaches pro-Trump persons for his legal team, another significant arrest happened: “Halkbank Deputy General Manager Arrested in US

Turk in Sanctions Case Adds Rudolph W. Giuliani to Legal Team NYT > Turkey by By BENJAMIN WEISER and MAGGIE HABERMAN The former mayor is close to President Trump, raising the question of whether he was retained to help resolve Reza Zarrab’s case with the Trump administration. Halkbank Deputy General Manager Arrested in US  Bianet :: English … Read more

#Cyberculture agenda: “How Palantir Helped the NSA Spy on the Whole World…

How Peter Thiel’s Palantir Helped the NSA Spy on the Whole World  The Intercept by Sam Biddle Donald Trump has inherited the most powerful machine for spying ever devised. How this petty, vengeful man might wield and expand the sprawling American spy apparatus, already vulnerable to abuse, is disturbing enough on its own. But the outlook is … Read more

#Eurosphere – Romania President rejects Muslim Sevil Shhaideh as PM, Romanian left proposes new PM candidate…

Romania President rejects Muslim Sevil Shhaideh as PM  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Romania’s president rejects a candidate who would have been the country’s first female, Muslim PM. [Ticker] Romanian left proposes new PM candidate EUobserver.com – Headline News   Romania’s social democrats have nominated former telecommunications minister Sorin Grindeanu for prime minister, a … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “EU wants to know if Facebook lied about Whatsapp…

EU wants to know if Facebook lied about Whatsapp EUobserver.com – Headline News   Facebook said in 2014 that linking WhatsApp’s phone numbers with Facebook was not possible. In 2016, it became possible, and it happened. Idiocraski: the apocalyptic situation in Poland after a year of trumpism Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow   It’s been a year … Read more

Journalism agenda: 5 of the biggest fake news stories from 2016 according to Mashable….

5 of the biggest fake news stories from 2016 Mashable! by Gianluca Mezzofiore   We live in a ‘post-truth’ era, or at least according to Oxford Dictionaries which named it ‘word of the year’ in its annual poll. Tip: Bookmark this list of affordable 360-degree cameras  Journalism.co.uk   If you want to get started with 360-degree photos … Read more

Turkey in Europe: “German school in Istanbul cancels Christmas”

‘OUTRAGEOUS!’ Germany’s fury as teachers ‘banned from even MENTIONING Christmas in class’ Express.co.uk Usually the Istanbul Lisesi holds a small celebration for Christmas and teaches its pupils, who are both German and Turkish, about the Christian … German school in Istanbul cancels Christmas – Deutsche Welle German School in Istanbul Forced to Deny ‘Banning’ Christmas – … Read more

Cyberculture agenda: We might be exposed to a coordinated SM campaign in the #Aleppo drama…

Those “final messages” from Aleppo Syria look more like a coordinated social media campaign than a cry for help@AnissaNow pic.twitter.com/GzASdXPwNU — IN THE NOW (@IntheNow_tweet) 14 Aralık 2016   Trump meets with tech leaders: Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Tesla, Intel  Boing Boing by Xeni Jardin   Photo: Donald Trump speaks as PayPal co-founder … Read more

Journalism agenda: “Trust is the new click”

Trust is the new click  Nieman Journalism Lab by Michael Kuntz In 2016, the media’s usual battle for attention felt more like a war. Fueled primarily by an unprecedented political season, consumers were bombarded with a ceaseless litany of “breaking news,” recycled headlines, fake stories, and social feeds just begging for their next click. From an … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Banks fined £413m over euro rate rigging…

Banks fined £413m over euro rate rigging  BBC News | Europe | World Edition HSBC, JPMorgan and Credit Agricole fined €485m (£413m) for rigging a key interest rate between 2005 and 2008. Four EU states among world’s worst tax havens  EUobserver.com – Headline News Cyprus, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are among the 15 worst centres for … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Commission won’t call Castro a dictator…”French primaries…

Commission won’t call Castro a dictator  EUobserver.com – Headline News The EU executive says that a statement decribing the former Cuban leader as a “hero for many” is balanced and suggests that the use of the word dictator by a commissioner doesn’t reflect its position. France’s next President could be an Islamophobic “Thatcherite” who wants to dismantle … Read more

Journalism agenda: “Some Fake News Publishers happen to be Donald Trump’s Cronies…

Some Fake News Publishers Just Happen to Be Donald Trump’s Cronies  The Intercept by Lee Fang The extraordinary phenomenon of fake news spread by Facebook and other social media during the 2016 presidential election has been largely portrayed as a lucky break for Donald Trump. By that reckoning, entrepreneurial Macedonian teenagers, opportunists in Tbilisiand California millennials have exploited … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament

Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The head of the European Parliament is to return to German national politics next year. The Brief: Schulz gives up European Parliament to return to politics EurActiv.com by James Crisp Martin Schulz is giving up the European Parliament to return … Read more