Europe

By Lee Wellings in Europe on February 9th, 2012
EPA photo



The temperature outside the IOC headquarters in Lausanne is minus 12, but Olympic president Jacques Rogge is warming up as he talks about the challenges ahead, the London games approaching, and even taking on the mafia.

The 69-year-old Belgian has been in charge for almost a decade, managing to avoid the drama and controversy that has plagued the world's other major sports association - FIFA.

Intelligent and careful, his words are measured. but a flash of intensity surfaces when he maintains security remains the IOC's number one priority.

And then we move on to the dual threat from drugs and corruption.

Is corruption, in the form of illegal betting, REALLY a bigger threat than drugs?

By Alan Fisher in Europe on January 26th, 2012
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond holds a copy of the plans for consultation for a referendum on independence [Reuters]

 

Alex Salmond is as smart a political operator as they come.

His choice of January 25th - when Scots around the world celebrate the birthday of national bard, Robert Burns - to take the first steps towards an independence referendum was not coincidental.

Nor is the proposed date of the vote, autumn 2014, the 700th anniversary of a famous Scottish victory over English forces at Bannockburn. It's a battle commemorated in a song sung before most Scottish sporting events, recalling how the Scots sent King Edward and his army 'home tae think again". 

Since Salmond's Scottish National Party was founded 80 years ago, its goal has been the break up of the UK with the establishment of a sovereign independent state.

By Lee Wellings in Europe on January 25th, 2012
Cheik Tiote of Newcastle United and Ivory Coast [GALLO/GETTY]

Poor old Newcastle United. Always the victims.

No team in the English Premier League is unduly suffering because of the Africa Cup of Nations…apart from the long-suffering, ever-suffering black and whites from the north-east of England.

They are having to make do without the most influential player in the EPL (apart from Arsenal's Robin van Persie) at this crucial point of the season.

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on January 17th, 2012
Photo by Reuters

Greek politicians are finding it more and more difficult to mingle in public places.

The former foreign minister, Dora Bakoyiannis, became only the latest to be singled out for abuse just a few days ago, when, according to this report, she was attacked with yogurt and stones by an angry crowd who gathered outside a restaurant in Crete.

Last month, the finance minister, Evangelos Venezelos was heckled at his daughter’s university graduation ceremony, as you can see here. 

There have been many such incidents in recent months, involving cabinet ministers and members of parliament.

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By Jonah Hull in Europe on January 17th, 2012
Garzon, who tried to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, sits in the dock with his lawyer [Reuters]

Those who have claimed Judge Baltasar Garzon is the victim of a judicial witch-hunt by colleagues jealous of his fame, might have been surprised to see the top investigative judge arrive at Madrid's Supreme Court flanked by six of his fellow judges showing their support.

The group walked towards the courthouse through a throng of demonstrators calling for justice in Garzon's name.

One told me, "This is a democracy and this judge is being judged by corrupt people. The hunter has become the hunted."

Inside, Garzon was met by applause from members of the legal fraternity. It's clear, Garzon has plenty of support, but plenty of enemies as well.

The darling of human-rights groups - and victims - in Spain and around the world, Balthasar Garzon stepped on many toes in his long career.

Arch-conservatives in Spain are angry at his attempts to dig up Spain's wartime past.

Plenty of enemies

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on December 30th, 2011
Photo by AFP

What will be the major news events of 2012?

A colleague sent me a list of questions the other day, daring me to make predictions about major political, economic and sporting events in the next 12 months. Here are those questions, and my answers, most of which will no doubt look rather foolish come December 31, 2012.

I thought it would be fun to share them, and see if  readers have their own answers.

And please, please remember that my predictions do not necessarily reflect my personal preferences. I'm simply trying to estimate/guess what the next 12 months have in store. 

1)  What will a barrel of oil cost at the end of 2012? (At the end of 2011 it was $108).

$120

2)  Who will win the US presidential election?

President Obama, despite all the bad economic news and the other disappointments of his first term. But if the Republicans choose Mitt Romney as their candidate, the result will be close.

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By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on December 16th, 2011
Iceland's foreign minister has held talks with EU on accession [Reuters]

It has a governing coalition that is split by differences over the EU, and the Euro. It’s an island, with its own distinct history. And it has a cold, harsh climate. No, not the UK, but Iceland.

 

The country that went so spectacularly bust in 2008 is showing signs of life. In Iceland, the economy is growing, government debts are under control and unemployment is falling.

 

Not that everybody agrees there is a recovery. On the edge of Reykjavik, I watched hundreds of people queuing up in the snow for food hand-outs.

 

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 18th, 2011
EPA photo

The most important statistic that came out of Greece this week had nothing to do with the economy.

The EU said that 300 migrants are illegally crossing the border from Turkey every single day.

Frontex, the EU Border Control agency which has monitors on the Greek-Turkish border, said that the total number for the month of October was 9,600, representing "an absolute monthly record".

It describes the situation as "dramatic".

In other words, the Greek economic crisis appears to be having no impact whatsoever on the numbers of people trying to enter the country

Afghans are still the biggest group, but there have been significant increases in the numbers from Pakistan, Algeria and Morocco.

Of course, the vast majority of these people don't want to stay in Greece.

They plan to move on to more prosperous parts of Europe, travelling via Italy or the Balkan countries.

But many migrants discover it is not so easy to do this, or t

Tags: Turkey
By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on November 7th, 2011
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou waves as he leaves the presidental palace in Athens [AFP]

I was watching one of our old Al Jazeera reports the other night. It was from October 2009, the night George Papandreou became prime minister of Greece.

A warm autumn evening.  I was there, and I remember it well. Thousands of supporters of the Socialist PASOK party were celebrating on the streets of Athens.

Papandreou walks through the crowd with a beaming smile. A young woman says to our camera “I’ve looked so hard for work but I can’t find any. I have no money. But, now, I think everything will get better. I’m so happy”.

Was that really just two years ago? It feels like a lifetime. How sad, and how poignant, to look back at those pictures, knowing what we know today. It seems incredible, but remember that during that election campaign, George Papandreou rode to victory with promises to actually increase government spending should he win. Was he being naive, or cynical?

By Barnaby Phillips in Europe on October 30th, 2011
Photo by GALLO/GETTY

It hasn't been the best of weeks for Chelsea captain John Terry.

It ended with him face down in the grass after a calamitous slip, allowing Arsenal's Robin Van Persie to glide elegantly past and score the vital goal in an absorbing London derby.

Arsenal supporters will relish that moment for a long time (and you might have guessed where my loyalties lie…) but John Terry's problems do not end there. 

The Football Association (FA) is investigating allegations that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand in Chelsea’s previous match.

Terry, who is also the captain of the English national team, vigorously denies the allegation, and says he’s looking forward to clearing his name.

Two weeks ago, in another high profile case that is also being investigated by the FA, Manchester United’s Patrice Evra said that Liverpool’s Luis Suarez repeatedly insulted him with a racist epithet during the match between the two giants of northern E

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