Anti-corporate activism

A colourful cast of characters brings an added dose of zest and intrigue to this week's collection of Premium stories as we look at the travails of modern-day sultans, American envoys, local whistleblowers or prime ministers in waiting.

The whir of sewing machines sounds from street-level windows all over the downtown Athens districts of Patissia, Galatsi and Stathmos Larissis is a constant monotone. Every once in a while, a person emerges from these basement workshops for a cigarette break or to get something from a kiosk.

Oil majors Exxon Mobil, Total and Repsol are among members of two consortia that have submitted bids to explore for oil and gas off Greece.

The World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos begins today, January 23rd and it will last until Friday.

In the last day  a statement by US President Donald Trump is also scheduled.

A large-scale protest was planned against his participation today, but the authorities banned any demonstrations due to a heavy snowfalls.

During clashes with anti-globalists in Hamburg 76 officers were injured according to France press, citing representative of the local police. There are also at least two injured among the protesters. Around five people were held in custody.

The Küçükpazar neighborhood of Istanbul's Fatih district has become a center of sweatshops, where children from outside Turkey are forced to work in shocking conditions. 

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the EU states to end any persecution of whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The document also urges these countries to give him protection, Sputnik reported.

The draft law intended to protect the people who supplied evidence about illegal mass surveillance to Macedonia's opposition as well as to shield future whistleblowers is expected to reach parliament by October 20 after both government and opposition agreed on its content.

Watchdog organisation Transparency Serbia told BIRN that the Nenadic case will be a good test of the effectiveness of the recently-adopted legislation protecting whisteblowers.

"This case will show how effective the new law is, because we haven't had such a case since the enactment of the law," said Bojana Medenica from Transparency Serbia.

Serbia’s new Law on Whistleblower Protection, which entered into force Friday, prescribes no penalties for criminal acts violating whistleblowers’ rights.

This is true even when it comes to "the grossest forms of violations" of these rights, Transparency Serbia said.