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Anna Claessen

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Stories from Anna Claessen

03 Iceland
Iceland Bids for the EU
After a year of financial turmoil, public support is higher, but some European Union member-states are worried
Anna Claessen
01/09/2009

Black flags put up by protestors surrounded the pillars of the Parliament building on July 16th, when after five days of grueling debates MPs voted 33 to 28 in support of an application for EU membership. This outcome also mirrors overall public opinion that according to opinion polls, is almost evenly split. According to a Capacent Gallup poll from the end of July, 41.7% of 717 respondents were for joining the EU while 58.3% were against it. Politically, however, support for the application is broad and “yes” votes came from members of all five political parties.

04 Icelanders take to the streets
Iceland For EU
In spite of major political shifts, voters want deeper changes, and they don’t care from whom
Anna Claessen
01/06/2009

It was the election of firsts, first woman to lead Iceland’s government, first time so many women have been in parliament (42.9%), and the first time in Icelandic history that there has been a leftist government.

Iceland On Hold
A small island goes from being one of richest countries to one of the poorest
Anna Claessen
01/03/2009

It used to be different. Coming from Iceland used to bring responses such as “wow, how exotic” and “beautiful scenery.” Now all I get is “poor you.”

In one year Iceland went from being one of the richest countries to one of the poorest. Talk about a transformation! Families have gone from having Christmas in the Maldives to not having enough money to visit the relatives. This is what happens when a country’s banking system collapses, as Iceland’s did last year, due to billions of dollars of highly-leveraged debt accumulated over years of overseas expansion. Trade in the Icelandic króna practically ceased.

BREAKING NEWS: Iceland's Central Bankers Step Down
Chiefs resign after the passing of a new bill
Anna Claessen
27/02/2009
The bosses of Iceland’s central bank stepped down and said goodbye to their employees on Feb. 26 after the parliament passed a bill restructuring the bank’s senior management policy, reducing the number of chiefs from two to one.

"David Oddsson and Eirikur Gudnason, the governors of the Central Bank of Iceland, announced their resignation at a meeting earlier today, MBL reported. Eirikur Gudnason has worked in the Central Bank for 40 years and hence was an important part of Iceland’s financial history. Oddsson has been chairman since autumn 2005."
A Dance Studio is Born
From Hip Hop to Pilates, Yoga to Jazz and Contemporary; A Dance Dream Come True at a Former Wood-Working Factory
Anna Claessen
18/02/2009

Laughter, loud music... stomping, there is no better sound to a dance teacher than hearing students giving their all and clearly having a wonderful time. Particularly when teaching comes from the heart, as it does for Valentina Mileto.

Dubai Chic
Camels and Construction
Anna Claessen
18/02/2009

Like the three wise men in the Bible, my two siblings and I were riding camels through the desert with only the stars to guide us through the darkness. Seeing my mother deeply touched, I thought there was no better way to celebrate Christmas.

After a six-hour flight from Maldives, entertaining ourselves watching one of the thirty channels offered in the Emirate plane, my family was finally in Dubai, the second largest of seven emirates of The United Arab Emirates, situated on the Persian Gulf next to Saudi Arabia, and Oman.

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