Questions of Morality

At right, Internet hipsters

This week guest host and producer Daniel Frankl and Sarah Johnson examine questions of morality facing Europe today.

Fighting for the right to say No
The Desertion rate within the British forces has doubled since start of the Iraq war in 2003. Lars Bevanger listens to the story of one deserter having to fight his conscience as well as the enemy.
The Washington Post has a roundup of the coverage on this issue.

Questions of conscience in Turkey
In Turkey every man has to serve 18 months in the army. While normally an honor, a small group of new objectors are standing up and ending up behind bars. Dorian Jones takes up the story of one individual.

Norway’s (Paradise) Prison
Around 110 male prisoners live on the island of Bastøy in excellent conditions. As Guy Degen reports, they are given an extraordinary degree of freedom, trust and responsibility.
Another interesting article on the prison.

The Open Enclosed Nuns
The nuns of the Matris Domini Convent in Italy are bringing a new meaning to the word Enclosed. In fact they are now taking one giant virtual leap into the outside world, all the way into cyber space! Dany Mitzman reports.
Yes, of course, they have a site.

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EuroFauna

Delicious intruder: the Red King Crab

Or should it be called "Animals Gone Wild".
Guest host Daniel Frankl and producer Sarah Johnson provide you with a selection of stories about our spiny, furry, shelled friends. Enjoy.

Segment 1 - Underwater Advance of the Red King Crab
Armies of Red King Crabs are marching westwards along Norway’s coast, devouring everything, upsetting fishermen & environmentalists. But, as Lars Bevanger reports, they are as mouth-watering as they are controversial.
Concern from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.

Segment 2 - Festival of the Snail
Every summer, the people of Casumaro hold a huge snail festival – the sagra della lumaca – attracting visitors from all over Italy and beyond. Dany Mitzman was there.

Segment 3 - Pig Heaven
Dafne Westerhof runs the so-called "Promised Land for Pigs" in Amsterdam. She believes that its possible to communicate with pigs, and that they are good for our stress levels. Anne Blair Gould set off to pig heaven.

Segment 4 - Cow Cuddling
A farming family in the Dutch countryside is offering their cows up for a cuddle. Queenie Scholtes went down to join in on one of their group cuddling sessions.

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Alienation in an Alien Nation

At left, a screen shot from the film Submission. It's director, Theo van Gogh, was consequently murdered by the Dutch born Moroccan Muslim, Mohammed Bouyeri.

How do young Muslim men, born and bread in Europe, become fundamentalists? We discuss in this week's EuroQuest.

Segment 1 - Muslim Radicalization Expert Atef Handy: Part 1
Jonathan Groubert interviews Muslim Radicalization Expert Atef Handy, who wrote a report on how Dutch born Muslims turn against society and embrace Muslim fundamentalism.

Segment 2 - Ahmed Dadou Pleads the Case of Holland’s Young Moroccan Male
No part of the Dutch Muslim community is more maligned that the young Moroccan male. Jonathan Groubert asks Ahmed Dadou, an articulate spokesman for the Dutch Moroccan Community, what he thought was alienating his peers.

Segment 3 - Muslim Radicalization Expert Atef Handy: Part 2
Jonathan Groubert interviews Muslim Radicalization Expert Atef Handy: Part 2

Segment 4 - German Islam Summit/Mozart Opera
The German government met Muslim community officials for the first Islam summit. It was billed as a rational discussion meant to enhance relations and improve the integration of Muslims into German society. And then, it all got a bit weird.

Segment 5 - Indigene
A new film telling the story of North Africans who fought to liberate France in World War Two, is opening up a forgotten chapter in French history. Alasdair Sanford went to see the film.

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European Disunion

At right: Worth the money? The European Parliament in Strasbourg.

It used to be only the British who were the Euroskeptics. Now it seems to be a sport open to all. Does the EU have a future or is the game over? European Disunion in this week's EuroQuest.

Segment 1 - RNW’s Brussels Correspondent Discusses EU Disunity
Jonathan Groubert and Brussels correspondent Vanessa Mock mull over the causes and consequences of the current crisis in confidence in the EU.

Segment 2 - Swedish MEP Campaigns to Get Euro Parliament Out of Strasbourg
The European Parliament is located in Brussels. It also spends 4 days a month in Strasbourg. The OneSeat campaign this is a great waste of time and money. Jonathan Groubert speaks to Swedish Member of European Parliament Cecilia Malmstrom, of OneSeat.

Segment 3 - Will Turkey Ever Join the EU?
Jonathan Groubert discusses the countrys recent disinterest in joining the EU with Turkey correspondent Dorian Jones.
Turkey EU Accession bid site.

Segment 4 - Is Spain’s EU Love Affair Over?
Now structural funds from the EU are about to head east to the new and even poorer member states like Hungary and Poland, Danny Wood wonders out loud if Spaniards think that the best days of their relationship with Europe are over?
Spain's page at the EU's official Web Site.

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EYE SPY!!!

Should governments spy on their citizens? Is giving up some freedom in the name of security worth it? This week's EuroQuest wonders out loud if European governments are spying on their own citizens in the same way the American government has attempted in NSA spying scandal.

Cees Hamelink on European Personal Spying Part 1
Jonathan Groubert interviews Internet privacy expert and ethicist Professor Cees Hamelink of the University of Amsterdam on new European surveillance laws.

French Privacy under Pressure
RFI’s Alice Moss investigates the problematic elements of new French anti-terrorism security measures.

Hamelink on European Personal Spying Part 2
Cees Hamelink returns, comments on the French situation and discusses the ethics of potential new European-wide security measures.

Russian Dissdent Claims Russia is Ruled by Spies
Former Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky explains why he thinks Russia is being run by the security services. And how the war in Chechnya got them there. The interview was conducted by Margreet Strijbos and produced by Jonathan Groubert.

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