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Music: Keane, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra and Katharina Nuttall

In front | AGENDA
Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra's band members all play in other projects too (Image: Penguin Records)

Piano rock from the UK, Balkans from Belgium and Blue Monday in Norway – October’s best music picks kick off a European autumn

by Sandra Wickert // 03/10/08

Romanian fields (Photo: 1uk3/ Flickr)

Enlargement: the grit beneath the nail

'EU standards' are one thing, but the reality of the issues lurking behind EU enlargement are another. We launch a series of Europe's young journalists of 2008 with regards on, amongst others, the sex trade in Romania, black border market in Poland and food made in Serbia

FOCUS
Young, Roma and English

'Savvy Chavvy': Romani Facebook in the UK

The virtual social network was created with and for the young members of the Roma community in England in January. A social media project and web 2.0 which already allow more than 1000 people to communicate, exchange videos and news on the internet and, of course, flirt

by Jane Mery // 02/09/08

NEWS
EU is not that sexy for Ireland (Photo: nonfictionfr/Flickr)

Ireland stamps its Eurosceptic foot

A low turnout, but a seismic result that raises more questions than it answers about Europe’s future direction. This and much, much more in our weekly round up from Brussels.

by Stella Willborn // 13/06/08

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Broke joes

by Katharina Kloss // 23/04/08

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Gesundheit

by anke wagner-wolff // 10/04/08

AGENDA

Go out in April: Uppsala, nerds and witches

Enjoy the year's first rays at Walpurgis night in Sweden, a vintage computer festival in Munich or the spring festival in Seville

by Karsten Marhold // 09/04/08

MULTIMEDIA

Videos: Putin, Sarkozy, Blair and Schröder

Putin pouts, schnip schnap Schröder, Blair sings and Sarkozy and opposition leader Ségolène snuggle

by Tomáš Ruta // 05/04/08

'The Old House Under the Snow' was Hughes' first story to be translated abroad, into Serbian (Foto: Fabio Scetti)

Rhys Hughes: 'the Welsh are very proud'

The British short-story writer, 41, cites Italo Calvino and Raymond Queneau as his influences, discusses literature, lipograms and Iberia - and why the boy from Wales only publishes in certain languages

by Fabio Scetti // 04/04/08

PANORAMA

Architecture blogs in Romania, Spain and England

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

by Maciej Lewandowski // 02/04/08

INTERVIEW
COPYRIGHT 2008 ATLANTIC RECORDS

Estelle Swaray: 'the singlest woman alive'

Why the British rapper, hip hop singer and producer, 28, swapped London, its boys and the UK music industry for Brooklyn's cabbies, leading to ‘an unexpected duet’ with American rapper Kanye West

by Nabeelah Shabbir / Titus Aguigah // 28/03/08

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Paul 'Macca' McCartney

by Anna Castellari & Francesca Barca // 26/03/08

(Photo: ZS)

Zhenya Strigalev: 'London's jazz scene is more open than Moscow's'

At 28, the prodigious composer and late-night jam-session organiser is the only Russian alto-sax player active on the London scene. We catch him at the launch of his new fusion set ‘Findamorale’ at the London jazz festival

by Alison Micklem // 22/03/08

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Hooking people up since 1483

by Nele Yang // 19/03/08

NEWS
Geert Wilders (Photo: ANS Online/ Flickr)

An Oscar for Geert Wilders please

'Fitna' the film means evil, European parliament has a fake birthday and ousted gay Iranians - it's your latest news from Brussels

by Pim de Kuijer // 14/03/08

OPINION

No Lisbon treaty referendum for the Brits

A Europhile goes against the British PM's masquerade, as the bill has its first reading in the House of Lords on 12 March

by Adriano Farano // 12/03/08

AGENDA

British band The Cure are back

Plus charming French-Finnish duo 'The Duo', a tasty Swedish morsel of Jens Lekman, chic Danes 'The Fashion' and slightly unusual Italians Avvolte Kristheda - the best bands in March

by Sandra Wickert // 12/03/08

PANORAMA
Street in BedZed (Photo: hotzeplotz)

Eco-housing renaissance: put less carbon in the air!

The ‘built’ environment in the UK, Germany and Sweden are good examples of how our lifestyles have to adapt in a changing world

by Chris Adams // 11/03/08

FOCUS
The third 'Sorry Day' held in London, after the official 26 May 'Sorry Day' in Australia

Australia: ‘Sorry’ for the Indigenous

13 February. Big screens, daytrips to Canberra, and a historical ‘apology’ by the new Labor government, to the 13, 000 Indigenous children taken from their Aboriginal parents after British colonisation

by Nabeelah Shabbir // 12/02/08

ANALYSIS

Football: fans take over in UK, France and Germany

Faced with Russian oligarchs or American magnates buying out their clubs, some supporters are trying the same tactic out of sheer desperation

by Vincent Lebrou // 08/02/08

INTERVIEW
Romanian family, Crainimat - redefining everyday life? (Photo: J.Lawron/ Flickr)

Democratic index for Europe

After Eurobarometer and the ‘Index of Happiness’, a new index launched by a British think tank on 31 January aims to ‘measure’ democracy in 25 European countries – and get Europe's citizens to customise their own indices online. Interview

by Nabeelah Shabbir // 31/01/08

NEWS

Why the EU aims to liberalise postal services

Plus answers to the question 'how much do you get charged for making a bank transfer?' and more in our weekly newsbites from Brussels

by Fernando Navarro Sordo // 28/01/08

AGENDA

Swedish ice hotels and Norwegian culture capitals

Plus carnival fever in Venice, cartoons in the south of France and Arab hip hop in Brussels - our guide to the month's best cultural titbits

by Katharina Kloss // 15/01/08

NEWS

Apple gets fair on UK music downloads

Portuguese no to reform treaty referendum, the pan-EU music marketplace and Sarkozy’s press conference

by Stella Willborn // 14/01/08

MULTIMEDIA

Video cringe: Chavez, Brown, Rath

Be it a Czech clip around the ear, a King telling a naughty Venezuelan socialist to zip it or a British prime minister playing it cool - we track Europe's chiefs losing it

by Fernando Navarro Sordo // 19/12/07

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Why Germans wear white waistcoasts

by Laura Wilfinger // 19/12/07

AGENDA

WinterKids, Tchi and Muchy

English teens, the Swedish Aimee Mann, pure Italian pop and the latest Polish hopefuls on the music scene this winter

by Sandra Wickert // 11/12/07

FOCUS
European breeze on Facebook (Photo: TPCom/ Flickr)

Facebook: UK, Norway and Sweden most active

10 million Europeans have their own profiles on booming social exchange websites such as Facebook. The most active European web users have not wasted any time create groups of their own

by Charly Loufrani et Marine Stefan // 04/12/07

AGENDA
© Ulf Langheinrich: Hemisphere, 2006–2007 (Photo: ©Jirkac Jansch)

December: pure culture seeker

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

by Karsten Marhold & Natalia Sosin // 04/12/07

Stoysin was born in the university town of Novi Sad (Agnes Baritou)

Branco Stoysin: 'You can learn anything on your own'

The self-taught guitarist is coy about his age and anti-internet-overload. The Yugoslav 'ghost' has lived his dream in London since the early nineties, his folk and jazz music celebrating the sun and the Balkans

by Agnès Baritou // 01/12/07

PICTURES

PubliCity - from Barcelona to Dresden

by cafebabel.com // 29/11/07

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Suck up

by Enno Dummer // 29/11/07

Named after Ho Chi Minh and Che Guevara (Photo: Emanuele Grifoni)

Ho Che Anderson: I never actually said 'hey mom, this is my sex book'

The London-born Canadian graphic novelist, 38, is relaxed and frank as he discusses being chosen as the only black cartoonist to portray Martin Luther King, a series which took him ten long years to complete

by Marco Riciputi // 23/11/07

INVESTIGATION
Former Polish plumber campaign (ticondekoga/ Flickr)

Immigration: the plight of Poles in France

Poland has been an official EU country since 1 May 2004. While Poles have the right to move freely around France, things get a lot more complicated when it comes to getting a job

by Sébastien Michel // 22/11/07

ANALYSIS
George Lazenvy was the original Marlboro Man in Europe (Photo: Fernanda TrinSky/ Flickr)

Sexual homeys

Having come 'en masse' to our planet, the metrosexuals, uebersexuals and retrosexuals have replaced man, the real thing, which from now on will be classified as an endangered species

by Lucie Solem (Relecture YL) // 25/10/07

ANALYSIS
The Tories booed Brown on 17 October after he accused Conservative opponent David Cameron as liking 'pre-rehearsed soundbites' (Photo: Tim Waters/ Flickr)

Gordon Brown’s referendum conundrum

Under pressure from all sides, and from within his own party, the British PM continues to resist a referendum on the EU constitution

by Agnès Baritou // 17/10/07

FEATURE

Reality TV: so bad it's good?

More Brits (14.2 million votes, 2002) dialled a premium-rate phone number to voice their opinion in a 'Big Brother' series than voted for the governing Labour Party at the 2005 general election (9.5 million labour voters). The vox populi asserts that reality TV is here to stay

by Jeremy Cliffe // 10/10/07

PANORAMA

European TV formats: kidneys and neighbours

Between live kidney donors in Holland, Model Mosque 2007 in the UK and racism over German garden fences, the precipices of European reality TV formats

by Katharina Kloss // 10/10/07

AGENDA

October culture vulture

This autumn Europe’s cultural events move indoors, to cinemas and museums. A quick look at October’s culture calendar

by Karsten Marhold // 04/10/07

Man of conviction (Photo: LAV)

Animal protection: Romania the black sheep

Roberto Bennati, vice-president of the Italian anti-vivisection league, on a new European legislation

by Elisa Marengo // 03/10/07

PANORAMA
(Photo: Universal)

Babel music room: October

The return of a legend. A Catalan and a French woman sweeten the bitter taste of autumn, Swedish boys rock elegantly and two other delicious treats in store for fans: a selection of European sounds

by Sandra Wickert // 01/10/07

Too much wine (Photo: Camilla Broadbent, family archives)

Lindsey Davis: 'my writing is not the ghastly modern personal therapy type'

The award-winning British historical and comedy detective novelist, 58, on 'being like most English people' and her original brand of writing

by Nicholas Newman // 28/09/07

INTERVIEW

British military in Second Life

We talk to Bad CO, a serving officer in the British Army, who administers the unofficial community website along with Good CO, a former infantry officer

by Nabeelah Shabbir // 26/09/07

OPINION

Zapatero, Brown, Sarkozy: turbo-politics, baby

The newly elected French president exemplifies perfectly the new style of European politics, which gets results, at all costs

by Adriano Farano // 25/09/07

FOCUS
(Image: Felipe Arte/ Flickr)

Language means business

945, 000 small and medium-sized exporting businesses - 11% of those in the EU - missed out on commercial contracts because of poor language skill bases

by Fernando Navarro Sordo // 19/09/07

Churchill, a pro-European enthusiast? (Leadbetter74 -Flickr)

British and the EU: Je t’aime moi non plus

On 19th September 1946, British Wartime leader Winston Churchill called for a ‘United States of Europe’ during a speech in Zurich. Sixty years later, the British still do not want to join a federalist project – time for reflection?

by Niccolo Milanese // 18/09/07

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Waiting for Godot

by Monica Nardini // 25/07/07

PORTRAIT
Pamela Anderson, queen of the guinea pigs (Photo: Ernst Raser/ Flickr)

Guinea pigs in the spotlight!

Study reveals men not only prefer blonds but those with small brains

by Prune Antoine // 18/07/07

Kubrick-style reproduction of an orgey (Photo: Tipo Grafico/ Flickr)

Orgey.com

Organised via the internet, orgey offers often help sell holidays. A quick overview of the history of the old continent via this ancient practice which is present in almost all societies

by Marta Palacín // 18/07/07

Aldiss in his office (Photos: Nicholas Newman)

Brian Aldiss: 'I told Kubrick it was impossible he make a film of my story'

The British science fiction author, 82, on working with Hollywood greats, being caned for 'telling stories' at school and Europe being a 'wonderful idea'

by Nicholas Newman // 13/07/07

Philippe Waechter (Photo: PW)

Inflation: 'the convergence of eastern and western prices will have to wait 20 years'

What do you Europeans really think of rising prices and inflation in the Eurozone?

by Tomás Gades // 13/07/07

FOCUS
N 340 sparks (Photo: Egaldun/ Flickr)

Let’s all go for a drive

60% of Europeans choose the summertime to escape from their daily routine and go on holiday. Of those, 55% take their car according to Eurostat

by Fernando García Acuña // 12/07/07

ANALYSIS
(Photo: sand/ Flickr)

Negative positive discrimination

Ethnic quotas, 'positive discrimination' – terms which often trigger teeth-grinding. French opinion usually differs from that of the other side of the Channel

by Alexis Molveau // 04/07/07

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Monster-in-law

by Katharina Kloss // 04/07/07

AGENDA

July culture vulture

Between Italian jazz and Nordic tango, Slovenian saxophone and Scottish rock, Spanish bull running and German contemporary art – check out the July issue of our Vultures for Culture calendar

by Jannik Pfister // 04/07/07

ANALYSIS
French demonstrants saying: "French citicens: if you don't like immigrants, quit the country" (Photo, looking4poetry/Flickr)

How about going back to your country

The May 2007 creation of a French ministry of immigration and national identity led by Brice Hortefeux ponders paying immigrants to go back to where they came from. Multiculturalism – a European asset?

by Hanna Sankowska // 02/07/07

REVIEW
‘St Kilda – Island of the Bird People’ (Photo: Le Phénix/ Valenciennes)

In Europe's opera wings

It's billed as a unique opera project which will occur simultaneously in five EU countries - but during the performance of ‘St Kilda – Island of the Bird People’ in Valenciennes, Europe made itself scarce

by Katharina Kloss // 28/06/07

(Illustration: Henning Studte)

Drunk as a skunk

by Amandine Agic // 27/06/07

ANALYSIS
On a ten-year promise (Photo: Tim Waters/ Flickr)

Gordon Brown, Euro-sceptic prime minister?

All change in Her Majesty's kingdom: Scotsman Gordon Brown, 56, replaces Tony Blair at the head of government after ten years of hard loyal service

by Agnès Baritou // 25/06/07

PANORAMA
Nicolas Sarkozy (Photo: Guillaume Paumier)

Brown, Sarkozy and gang - sceptic fantastics

Is Europe increasingly Eurosceptic as with the arrival of a new generation of new leaders?

by Luís González Vayá // 19/06/07

OPINION
Mr. Blair with Sir Bob (Photo: garretkeogh/ Flickr)

Exit: Downing Street

Northern Ireland highs, Iraq all-time lows - part of the legacy that British Prime Minister Tony Blair leaves after a decade in power, as he steps down on 27 June 2007

by Chris Yeomans // 14/06/07

REPORT
Gypsy cove (Photo: Sue Gyford)

Back home in the Falklands

14 June 2007 marks twenty-five years of liberation from the Argentine military by British forces. A Falkland Islander born after the war discusses his islands' economical, European and neighbourly strides

by Stacy Bragger & Sue Gyford // 13/06/07

FOCUS
The Curzon cinema in Soho, where the festival is set to kick off (Photo: Tom Royal/ Flickr)

London, Berlin and Madrid: cine-pigs

Between 8 and 14 June London hosts the third part of ‘Picture Europe’, the first film festival taking place simultaneously across different European cities

by Fernando García Acuña & Abla Kandalaft // 08/06/07

PANORAMA

Eurosceptic: to be, or not to be

An undercurrent of Euroscepticism circles the European Union. According to the Eurobarometer, only 54% of Europeans see the EU as something positive, whilst 34% consider it negative

by Judith Argila // 09/05/07

PORTRAIT
(Illustration: Gemma Lopez)

Working abroad - necessity or Easyjet pleasure?

The concept of working abroad has changed hugely - two generations explain why they left their countries. Third in our 'Crossed Portraits' series, marking 50 years of Europe

by Louise Bongiovanni // 09/03/07

ANALYSIS
Firmly in the past: IRA mural denounces police (Photo: campsmum/ Flickr)

Northern Ireland elections: then what?

Assembly elections took place on March 7, ahead of a March 26 deadline to restore the power-sharing process

by Paul Hagan // 06/03/07

PORTRAIT
(Illustration: Gemma Lopez)

50 years of love across the Schengen zone

Love beyond frontiers - two Euro-couples relate their stories of post-war Europe bliss

by Irene Barufatto // 23/02/07

ANALYSIS
Nuclear complex in Natanz, Iran (Photo: Hamed Saber/ Flickr)

Iran: Security Council deadline looms

February 21 is the United Nations deadline for Resolution 1737 for Iran to stop its uranium-enrichment programme

by James Fontanella-Khan // 19/02/07

Illustration: Henning Studte

Slaves to 'ciao'

 

by Adriano Farano // 14/02/07

PANORAMA

Factories of culture: forging new from old

All over Europe, former industrial buildings are being rebuilt as centres of culture. Residents cherish the special charm of these old factories

by Clotilde de Gastines/ Martin Schneider // 17/01/07

The Queen’s servants

Since EU enlargement, more and more young Poles are trying their luck in Great Britain. They work as labourers, wait tables, and hope for a better career

by Sarah Elsing // 01/12/06

Olympiad Sacrifices

In London preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games are in full swing. And although the mistakes of the previous Games should be avoided, plenty of problems still lurk in the foreground

by Matthias Jekosch // 01/12/06

DEBATE
Does Great Britain need more faith-based schools? (Hector Ferniza, Flickr)

Education and Islam: keeping the faith

Are state faith schools a viable solution to integration problems in Europe?

by Chris Reynolds