“When you act like a slave, you are treated like a slave; when you act like a citizen, you are treated like a citizen.” Gelu Duminică opens the window and asks: “Do you mind if I light a cigarette?”. In Romania smoking is forbidden in offices, but Duminică does not seem to care. He takes a lavender-scented vaporizer and also lights it. He fills the glass with marshmallow infusion. and offers. “You know what? My mother was illiterate and my family was deported during Nazism.” Keep reading

The electoral map of the United Kingdom has shown once more the differences between the four Home Nations after the vote held yesterday, 12 December. While in England the Conservative Party has achieved a comfortable majority, in Scotland the SNP has won a new and ample victory while in Wales left-wing parties have captured almost the double of seats that the conservatives have. In Northern Ireland, Irish nationalists have outnumbered the Democratic Unionist Party. Keep reading

Nearly 98% of valid votes in Bougainville’s self-determination referendum have been in favour of independence from Papua New Guinea. Turnout has stood at 87.5 per cent of those registered to vote. The referendum was not binding, but the clarity of the result adds pressure on the PNG government to negotiate anything other than independence. Keep reading