EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Ireland is the best place to live within the European Union, according to an annual United Nations report on standard of living. However, Norway comes top overall in the UN's human development index, a ranking that takes into account the domestic economy, life expectancy, literacy rates and school enrollment. Ireland, which recently voted Yes to the Lisbon Treaty, is the fifth best place in the world in which to live Niger meanwhile comes at the bottom of the list of 182 countries. Australia, Iceland and Canada round out the top four in the ranking, which is based on the most recent data available, from 2007, and so does not take into account the global economic crisis, which hit both Ireland and Iceland very hard. Ireland is the top EU country on the list, clocking in at number five, followed by the perennial winners of these sort of contests, the Netherlands and Sweden at six and seven respectively.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Ireland is the best place to live within the European Union, according to an annual United Nations report on standard of living.
However, Norway comes top overall in the UN's human development index, a ranking that takes into account the domestic economy, life expectancy, literacy rates and school enrollment.
Ireland, which recently voted Yes to the Lisbon Treaty, is the fifth best place in the world in which to live
Niger meanwhile comes at the bottom of the list of 182 countries.
Australia, Iceland and Canada round out the top four in the ranking, which is based on the most recent data available, from 2007, and so does not take into account the global economic crisis, which hit both Ireland and Iceland very hard.
Ireland is the top EU country on the list, clocking in at number five, followed by the perennial winners of these sort of contests, the Netherlands and Sweden at six and seven respectively.
A well-educated woman positively influences both her own and her partner's chances of a long life, Swedish research suggests.A man whose partner had only a school education has a 25% greater risk of dying early than if she had had a university education, it suggests. The authors say educated women may be more likely to understand the various health messages their families needed. The findings are based on a study of 1.5m working Swedes, aged 30 to 59.
A well-educated woman positively influences both her own and her partner's chances of a long life, Swedish research suggests.
A man whose partner had only a school education has a 25% greater risk of dying early than if she had had a university education, it suggests.
The authors say educated women may be more likely to understand the various health messages their families needed.
The findings are based on a study of 1.5m working Swedes, aged 30 to 59.
Chat with the co-writer of the documentary 'Il Corpo delle Donne', which looks at how Italian TV dissects 'women's bodies'. Since spring 2009, it has attained enormous exposure across all networks thanks to its intelligent and ruthless critique of Italian televisionA collection of samples taken from public and private Italian television channels, Il Corpo delle Donne ('Women's Bodies') is dedicated to the image and role of women - and the results are chilling. The author of this visual essay, which has been translated into four other languages including Spanish, Portuguese, English and French, is Lorella Zanardo. She was European brand manager for Unilever in Milan and Paris, marketing director for Gruppo Mondadori, holds an MBA and a degree in English and German literature, been a theatre and cinema actress and also runs her own consultancy, Sportgate. The mother-of-two is now more known as a consultant and lecturer on feminist issues. We meet to discuss Zanardo's sensitisation campaign concerning gender differences and the rights laid out in article three of the Italian constitution. She has two ways of ensuring that her valuable work does not lose momentum, to not merely turn into a passing fad. Firstly, her daily militancy gains strength through national network agreements. Secondly, her educational project Nuovi occhi per la TV ('New Eyes for TV') is directed at schools and teachers and can be accessed through its official website. Interview Is the Italian situation unique? Are there other European countries where the role and image of women is deemed to be in danger?
A collection of samples taken from public and private Italian television channels, Il Corpo delle Donne ('Women's Bodies') is dedicated to the image and role of women - and the results are chilling. The author of this visual essay, which has been translated into four other languages including Spanish, Portuguese, English and French, is Lorella Zanardo. She was European brand manager for Unilever in Milan and Paris, marketing director for Gruppo Mondadori, holds an MBA and a degree in English and German literature, been a theatre and cinema actress and also runs her own consultancy, Sportgate. The mother-of-two is now more known as a consultant and lecturer on feminist issues.
We meet to discuss Zanardo's sensitisation campaign concerning gender differences and the rights laid out in article three of the Italian constitution. She has two ways of ensuring that her valuable work does not lose momentum, to not merely turn into a passing fad. Firstly, her daily militancy gains strength through national network agreements. Secondly, her educational project Nuovi occhi per la TV ('New Eyes for TV') is directed at schools and teachers and can be accessed through its official website. Interview Is the Italian situation unique? Are there other European countries where the role and image of women is deemed to be in danger?
* Will only use 'real women' in photoshoots* Editor sick of 'fattening girls up with Photoshop'Germany's most popular women's magazine is banning professional models from its pages and replacing them with images of "real life" women instead.In what is seen as the latest attempt to stamp out the "size zero" model, the editors of Brigitte said it would in future only use women with "normal figures"."From 2010 we will not work with professional models any more," said Andreas Lebert, editor-in-chief, adding that he was "fed up" with having to retouch pictures of underweight models who bore no resemblance to ordinary women.
* Editor sick of 'fattening girls up with Photoshop'
Germany's most popular women's magazine is banning professional models from its pages and replacing them with images of "real life" women instead.
In what is seen as the latest attempt to stamp out the "size zero" model, the editors of Brigitte said it would in future only use women with "normal figures".
"From 2010 we will not work with professional models any more," said Andreas Lebert, editor-in-chief, adding that he was "fed up" with having to retouch pictures of underweight models who bore no resemblance to ordinary women.
PARIS -- In poor Paris suburbs it now pays off to do well in school -- literally. High school students can earn rewards worth up to €10,000 for their class to share if they attend lessons and get good grades.The pilot program, which took effect Monday in three vocational schools in working-class neighborhoods near the French capital, is the most eye-catching of a number of government measures aimed at tackling a chronic problem of poor class attendance, mass dropouts and high youth unemployment in France.The idea relies on a combination of peer pressure and material incentives: Students jointly commit to an average attendance and performance target. Depending on how ambitious the target is, the government will pay from €2,000, about $3,000, to €10,000 into a group fund that can be spent on anything from driving lessons to class trips when the target is achieved."We're trying to be creative -- you have to be," said Jean-Michel Blanquer, head of the greater Paris school district, who likened the initiative to a "moral contract."
The pilot program, which took effect Monday in three vocational schools in working-class neighborhoods near the French capital, is the most eye-catching of a number of government measures aimed at tackling a chronic problem of poor class attendance, mass dropouts and high youth unemployment in France.
The idea relies on a combination of peer pressure and material incentives: Students jointly commit to an average attendance and performance target. Depending on how ambitious the target is, the government will pay from €2,000, about $3,000, to €10,000 into a group fund that can be spent on anything from driving lessons to class trips when the target is achieved.
"We're trying to be creative -- you have to be," said Jean-Michel Blanquer, head of the greater Paris school district, who likened the initiative to a "moral contract."
PARIS -- A French gay soccer team says its members were victims of homophobia when a team of Muslim players refused to play a match against them.The Paris Foot Gay team says Tuesday it received an e-mail from the Creteil Bebel club canceling a match scheduled for last Sunday."Because of the principles of our team, which is a team of devout Muslims, we can't play against you," the e-mail said, according to Paris Foot Gay.
PARIS -- A French gay soccer team says its members were victims of homophobia when a team of Muslim players refused to play a match against them.
The Paris Foot Gay team says Tuesday it received an e-mail from the Creteil Bebel club canceling a match scheduled for last Sunday.
"Because of the principles of our team, which is a team of devout Muslims, we can't play against you," the e-mail said, according to Paris Foot Gay.
