Greetings, citizens. It’s Scottish referendum day! History in the making! I’m firmly in the let’s-wait-and-see camp, so go follow the news broadcaster of your choice and meet me here next week to discuss the results.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine. It looks like Eastern Ukraine could be on the way to independence after the government in Kiev grants a special status of limited self-rule for the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. It also calls for local elections later this year. After months of struggle, the pro-EU integration document that led to the revolution is now also signed.
Ukraine is now preparing for a long, hard winter.
You know what I realised while staying in Germany and Poland this summer? People there are not that bothered about Putin. The media aren’t in a complete frenzy like they are in the UK. As a semi-professional worrier, I’m liking this more laid-back approach.
The migrant problem in the Mediterranean has now become a sickening tale of mass murder and complete horror, as 500 people were deliberately drowned by their smugglers after they refused to switch boats. Maybe that should make that front page news?
More independence news: On National Day, Catalans protested both for and against independence from Spain.
Spain, meanwhile, is being sensible and will hopefully abandon its plans to limit access to abortions.
As a 93-year-old former SS guard at Auschwitz is facing trial, the Guardian is wondering why there have been so few convictions in Germany.
And lastly, good news for meeeeeee! East Germans now live longer. Although they probably won’t do as well in England, where the weather will drive us all mad before we get old.
Until next week!
2 replies on “News in Europe: Referendum Day!”
Because it happens too often, immigrants dying. I learned from it because of a tiny little article a few days ago, nowhere else.
SCOTLAND VOTES NO. It was very, very strange getting up this morning and see that across the tv screen. I went to bed last night really not knowing what the result would be.