Eurosphere agenda: biggest-ever Eurovision…”Juncker greets Orbán with ‘Hello dictator!”…

Stage set for biggest-ever Eurovision  BBC News | Europe | World Edition Sweden, Russia and Italy are among the favourites to win the 60th annual Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in Vienna later. Juncker greets Orbán with ‘Hello dictator!”  EurActiv.com European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker teased Hungarian Premier Viktor Orbán over his strongman reputation Friday, jokingly … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Academic work and careers in Europe

Academic work and careers in Europe  Ideas on Europe Changing working conditions at European universities are studied in a recent book ‘Academic Work and Careers in Europe – Trends, Challenges, Perspectives’, edited by Tatiana Fumasoli, Gaële Goastellec and Barbara Kehm. Tatiana Fumasoli tells about the main findings presented in the book. The Mediterranean migrant crisis: What can … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Thousands across Europe protest against TTIP…”Another refugee tragedy in the Mediterranean…

Thousands across Europe protest against TTIP  EurActiv.com Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Europe on Saturday (18 April) to oppose what could be the world’s biggest free trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and European Union. MAIN FOCUS: Another refugee tragedy in the Mediterranean | 20/04/2015  euro|topics What is … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “EU tackles Google.. “400 immigrants drown off of Libya…”France opens Rwanda genocide archive….

EU tackles Google over search ‘abuse’  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The European Union’s competition commissioner has announced details of its case against Google over its search engine. 400 immigrants drown off of Libya, say survivors  EurActiv.com Up to 400 illegal migrants died after their vessel capsized off the Libyan coast on Sunday (12 April), … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Five things about British elections… “Cyber attack on TV5Monde…

Five things you should know about foreign policy this election  open Democracy News Analysis – by Bernard Goyder Half a century ago, the US Secretary of State Dean Acheson said that Britain “has lost its empire, but has yet to find a role”. The same is true today. Are we still stuck in the imperial mindset? … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Rapprochement between Greece and Russia…

Germany snubs Greece’s war reparations call as ‘dumb’ Germany snubbed Greece’s call for more than 278 billion euros ($306 billion) in war payments April 7, calling it “dumb” to mix World War II claims with Athens’ negotiations for more aid. MAIN FOCUS: Moscow lures Athens with investments | 09/04/2015  euro|topics Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: A quarter of French voters support Front National, the far-right party…

MAIN FOCUS: Merkel and Tsipras seek conciliation | 24/03/2015  euro|topics   Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel adopted a conciliatory tone in Berlin on Monday, after politicians and media in both countries repeatedly attacked each other in recent weeks. Finally Tsipras has realised that he needs Merkel, some commentators write in delight. … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Pirate Party victory in Iceland… Greek-German summit…

Pirate Party Becomes Iceland’s Most Popular Political Party  TorrentFreak On January 1, 2006, Rick Falkvinge founded the Swedish and first Pirate Party. The party has survived more than nine turbulent years while provoking heated discussion on copyright reform, privacy and freedom of speech.   Icelandic Pirates soar: citizenship for Snowden?  Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow The Icelandic Pirate … Read more

As approved article gives Turkish gov’t power to shut down websites in 4 hours, Yavuz Baydar on how “Erdogan has all but destroyed Turkish journalism”

Erdogan has all but destroyed Turkish journalism | Yavuz Baydar  World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Yavuz Baydar Journalists are being intimidated and imprisoned, while government-friendly moguls are given lucrative contracts. The free media is on the verge of extinction Among journalists, the truth universally acknowledged is that bad news commands more column inches than good. … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Anti-corruption parties shake Spain… “Germany ends teacher headscarf ban….

Why we occupy: Dutch universities at the crossroads open Democracy News Analysis – by Enzo Rossi, Johan Hartle, Robin Celikates and Nicholas Vrousalis The Netherlands, a mere 10 years behind the UK, seems eager to catch up. Twin pressures of authoritarianism from above and neoliberalism from below make it necessary to develop the democratic alternative put … Read more

Journalism agenda: 6 news orgs’ Snapchat stories…

Snapchat stories: Here’s how 6 news orgs are thinking about the chat app  Nieman Journalism Lab by Joseph Lichterman When Sam Sheffer, The Verge’s social media editor, launched the site’s Snapchataccount at the end of July last year, he meant it to be a small-scale experiment. “I only promoted it on my personal Twitter account,” Sheffer … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “War of words rages between Athens and Berlin AS Athens seeks new loan extension…

MAIN FOCUS: Athens seeks new loan extension | 18/02/2015  euro|topics Athens will go ahead and request a loan extension in the debt conflict between Greece and the EU, a Greek government spokesperson said today, Wednesday. First the government must explain how it plans to service the loans, some commentators say. For others the onus is on … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Clashes before a possible Ukraine truce…

  Iceland’s pagans reach new height with first temple BBC News | Europe | World Edition Iceland’s Asatru movement builds first temple Is there reason to hope for Minsk II? open Democracy News Analysis – by Michael Emerson The last Minsk agreement on eastern Ukraine failed to bring peace. The latest looks similar—but the context has changed. … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Greek debt talks fail, BUT next meeting on Monday… Tension in Minsk…

No agreement in Greek eurozone talks  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Greek and eurozone officials have left a seven-hour meeting without even basic agreement on how to proceed in talks over the country’s debt crisis. Greek debt talks fail, next meeting on Monday  EurActiv.com Greece’s new leftist government and its international creditors failed to … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Merkel Pessimistic on Ukraine peace, Germany rules out arming Kyiv….

MAIN FOCUS: Merkel and Hollande negotiate in Ukraine conflict | 06/02/2015  euro|topics French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have started a new initiative to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict, presenting a peace proposal in Kiev on Thursday before travelling to Moscow today, Friday. Commentators see the move as the last hope … Read more