The daily reacts to the recently foiled terror attacks in Great Britain and the alleged plot discovered in Germany. They demonstrate that "the debate over the reasons for which one country finds itself caught up in the terror furore, while others are spared, is totally sterile. Nobody can feel entirely safe from fanatics or look in the other direction, because the threat is universal, the target being societies that are open, secular, Western and democratic. Those societies that benefit from, and embody, the values that the instigators of jihad detest and seek to eradicate. ... Hence the importance of better informing the public since, ultimately, information is one of the best weapons for heightening security in the face of terror and chasing away the spectre of fanaticism stalking Europe." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Europe

Stephen Schwartz, a journalist and author who became Muslim in 1997 after reporting on the break-up of Yugoslavia, believes "the UK faces the most serious jihad danger of any country in Western Europe. Imported Muslim clerics are the basis of the threat. Islam in the UK is overwhelmingly influenced by imams and other religious officials born in Pakistan and trained in that country or in Saudi Arabia. Pakistani Sunni mosques in Britain are major centres for jihadist preaching, finance, incitement and recruitment. The Islamic picture in the UK is much darker than that in Germany, where most Muslims are Turkish and, when they turn to radicalism, follow either a Marxist or a nationalist inspiration — or even that in France, where social dislocation and violent outbursts by the discontented young have produced, perhaps surprisingly, efforts by leading clerics to calm the community." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Religion, » Weltanschauung, » Germany, » France, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Stephen Schwartz

Secret service specialist Andreas Förster comments on the German Interior Minister's calls for intensified monitoring of the Internet in the battle against terrorism. "For a long time now the Germans have not been alone in monitoring the Internet. Their Western partners have been using this strategy for years. ... But the current campaign to increase security in Germany is less about determining the potential of individual proposals, and more about convincing the public that increased surveillance means increased protection against terrorists and criminals. Once people are convinced, it will be easier to push new security laws through parliament. These laws will also serve to legitimise investigation methods that have been in practice illegally for years, and enable information gained using these methods to be used in court." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany
All available articles from » Andreas Förster

According to historian Rudolf Kucera, the current flood of observations about the brutal ending of the attempted reforms known as Prague Spring in 1968 are too focussed on events in former Czechoslovakia. They ignore the fact that there were also major social movements in Western Europe and overseas at the time. "These radical protests had a similar goal to Czechoslovakia's attempts to give socialism a human face. Western Europe and America were moving to the left, and Czechoslovakia's reforms were an expression of its quest for freedom, justice and a united society. These values are still valid today. It's precisely the balance between freedom, justice and solidarity that plays a key role in this increasingly globalised world." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » History, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Rudolf Kucera

Paul Lendvai fears the "world is falling apart". According to him, French President Jacques Chirac is a weak performer, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi "leads an unstable coalition" and Germany has become a "target for fundamentalist terrorists." "Faced with opponents like the sheepish EU states and the UN 'paper tiger,' it's no wonder Iran, Hizbullah's protecting power, refuses to halt its nuclear programme and continues to fuel the 'Shiite revolution' against the West. ... While the isolated US president's declarations and threatened sanctions are having a counterproductive effect, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ('Fidel's successor' according to Le Monde) is jetting around from Minsk to Tehran, fanning anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment. China and Russia are benefiting both economically and politically from South America's swerve to the Left and from the divisions within the democratic community of states. This leaderless world is falling apart at the seams. Politicians are responding to the challenges of the 21st century with the vanities and power games of the last century. This is the central problem with world politics today." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Global
All available articles from » Paul Lendvai

Almost three months after its parliamentary elections it seems the path is at last clear for the formation of a minority conservative government in the Czech Republic. The President elect, Mirek Topolanek and his predecessor Jiri Paroubek announced yesterday that an agreement is likely to come in the next few days. Lenka Zlamalova talks of a "capitulation by Topolanek", who she says is giving in to the demands of the Social Democrats in order to govern. "Topolanek and his people will sit in the cabinet but the Social Democrats won't let them govern. Topolanek will have to say goodbye to his dreams of leading a 'reform government'. ... The current solution is the second-worst scenario the election stalemate could have produced. The only advantage in this pact between Paroubek and Topolanek is that it prevents a coalition of Social Democrats and (reform resistant) Communists from coming to power." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Lenka Zlámalová

Karl van den Broeck, the weekly's editor, reacts to the controversy sparked by a remark by Yves Leterme, the president-minister of the Flanders region, that certain francophones "are not intellectually equipped to learn Flemish". "The subsequent storm of words that erupted brought us back to a pre-revolutionary state of affairs. ... Leterme is now being depicted as a Flemish extremist. ... But in the context of the interview, the minister-president's 'racist' jibe was clearly ironic, or sarcastic. ... In fact, what was truly novel in Leterme's interview was his appeal for Brussels to be given a European status - something that does not correspond either to the government's position, nor to his own party's official line. It seems that Brussels' status is becoming a key theme in the discussions over Belgium's future." (24/08/2006)

» to the homepage (external link, Knack)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Belgium
All available articles from » Karl van den Broeck

"The Ségo and Sarko show has been enlivening France's normally somnolent summer holiday period with glimpses of what lies ahead over the coming months," notes an editorial entitled 'Politics sur la plage'. "In the left corner, in the turquoise bikini, stands Ségolène Royal, the candidate most likely to represent the opposition Socialists in the race to replace Jacques Chirac. In the right, in swimming trunks and a bronzed, bare torso, Nicolas Sarkozy. ... Their fight on the beaches and the TV screens, and the clash of two powerful and attractive personalities with a keen eye for their media images, brings an unfamiliar Anglo-Saxon whiff to the staid old world of French politics. But beyond the Hello!-style portraits, both of these talented politicians embody the sense that their country urgently needs to embrace change as Mr. Chirac's 11 years as president peter out in disarray." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » France

Sweden's four conservative opposition parties presented a joint election manifesto for the first time ever yesterday. The manifesto's main goals are economic growth and creating more jobs. Like many other commentators, the daily is euphoric about this development, saying it lays the foundations for a genuine alternative to the Social Democrat's monopoly of government. "This is an historical event – the first joint election manifesto. Not too long ago it was a sensation if the leaders of the different conservative parties posed together for a photo. That they would actually draw up any kind of joint document was inconceivable. This joint platform puts them in a good position for the election battle." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Swedish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Sweden

Confronted with the issue of illegal immigration, columnist Jacques Pilet asks whether perhaps the time has come to explore new solutions. "It will take decades before Africa, despite its natural wealth, finally offers a glimmer of hope to its native sons. In the meantime, why not channel this dream ? That is what the United States does. It, along with Canada, offers opportunities - limited in number, but concrete - for regular immigration. Between 1990 and 2000, a million Africans legally established themselves in North America. And this number is constantly growing. The door is opening half-way for candidates with an education and solid reasons for coming. In addition, there is a permanent lottery that offers a lucky few a chance to win a 'Green Card'. The procedure may seem shocking. But aren't the poor souls who take to the seas in their rickety skiffs, bound for the Canary Islands or Sicily, also taking a gamble ? With the real risk, into the bargain, of never seeing dry land again ?"   (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » France
All available articles from » Jacques Pilet

In an interview with Eric Jozsef, the Italian historian Sergio Romano, an editorial writer for Corriere Della Sera, explains how Northern Italians confront the 'Southern question' today. "There remains a great deal of suspicion about centralised initiatives aimed at helping the South. These days, political policy contents itself with granting more autonomy to the regions. As for the hypothesis of a secession, it is totally a dead letter today. The Northern League had a strategy in this respect, but it presupposed the failure of the entry into the single currency, something the North could never have accepted. Today, Italy seems to be making the best of this duality. Beyond the economic gaps, there are also differences of a cultural variety. ... Yet at the same time, the South has undergone a kind of modernisation, and certain unifying factors such as television have come into play."        (24/08/2006)

» to the homepage (external link, Libération)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Italy
All available articles from » Sergio Romano

The Polish weekly 'Wprost' recently published an article about renowned Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert according to which Herbert was a spy for the Polish Ministry of State Security. The article has drawn scathing criticism from many media. "The hunt continues. The discovery that someone whom we respect was a former agent still fascinates us and enables media to increase their circulation," Andrzej Franaszek writes. "As far as the facts are concerned, 'Wprost' tells us nothing we haven't already known for a long time. But its interpretation of the facts, aimed at creating a media sensation, is based on slanted quotes and at times has nothing whatsoever to do with reality. ... Nonetheless, 'Wprost's' publication has had a positive impact. It was the concerted protests of writers, former dissidents, historians – people from across the political spectrum – that forced the weekly's editor in chief to withdraw the hypothesis put forward in the article and apologise." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Print media, » Poland
All available articles from » Andrzej Franaszek

Paulina Wilk is looking forward to the Reggae Dub Festival, which begins tomorrow in Bielawa. The festival is expected to draw around 8,000 fans. According to Wilk, reggae is the fastest growing independent music genre in Poland, with internationally acclaimed bands like Duberman and Vavamuffin. Wilk takes a look at why reggae is so popular in Poland : "Nowadays reggae and dancehall, as well as rap, are the music of the urban ghettoes, and that's why young listeners can easily identify with this sound. Although the fans and the sound have changed over the years, the core message is the same: the battle between good and evil and opposition to injustice and violence. People like the music because is doesn't incite violence, it's happy and it's about love, peace and joy." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Music, » Poland
All available articles from » Paulina Wilk

'The Last Kiss', directed by American filmmaker Tony Goldwyn, will open in Italian cinemas in November. It is the remake of an Italian film, 'L'Ultimo Baccio', directed by Gabriele Muccino, that came out in 2002. Lietta Tornabuoni sees "an Italian exception. It is very rare for Americans to do a remake of  an Italian film. ... This is not surprising since Italian cinema ... has too often concerned itself with society, or subjects dealing with politics or regional cultures. ... Artistic films, by their very nature, are impossible to reproduce. ... Gabriele Muccino's film, a young-at-heart romantic comedy, could mark the beginning of a different trend."  (24/08/2006)

» to the homepage (external link, La Stampa)
More from the press review on the subject » Film, » Italy
All available articles from » Lietta Tornabuoni

"Kaurismäki has succeeded in transforming the Locarno festival into a collective experience of shared cinema," notes Frederic Strauss. The Finnish filmmaker was guest of honour at the Swiss festival. "Faced with the forced march of society, in Helsinki as elsewhere, Kaurismäki's films cultivate an ever more precious nostalgia : they give us back the world we have lost. ... This is ultimately what was being celebrated at the Locarno festival : Kaurismäki's gift for cinema, which is of a piece with his life. Even if he shoots less and less frequently, his cinephile passions never leave him. His carte blanche as guest of honour offered a fine overview, providing a veritable history of the cinema in twenty or so films. Alongside the great classics, only Jarmusch ('Stranger then Paradise') and the Dardenne brothers represented contemporary cinema. ... And what if Kaurismäki himself were an homage to the cinema?"  (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Film, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Frédéric Strauss

The proposal put forward by the left-wing liberal party Det Radikale Venstre to make English Denmark's second official language has triggered intense debate. Aldo Keel comments on this approach to dealing with the challenges of globalisation. "Times are certainly changing. Just five years ago the Danish Film Institute refused an application for funding for an English-language film made by Dogma director Thomas Vinterberg on the grounds that a Danish film was a Danish film in which Danish was spoken. It's a Danish axiom that the soul of the Danish people resides in their mother tongue. But this conviction also has its roots in history. Two hundred years ago Copenhagen was the capital of a multinational state which comprised the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein… After its defeat at the hands of the Prussians and Austrians in 1864, Denmark developed into a smaller nation state. Its linguistic patriotism was celebrated in poems dedicated to the 'mother tongue'. Now Denmark is experiencing a new period of transition. But how the nation will respond to these new ideas and whether the Danes now feel the need for a 'father tongue' remains to be seen." (24/08/2006)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Denmark
All available articles from » Aldo Keel

The newspaper's Vienna correspondent Zsuzsa Földavari reports that since Slovakia became an EU member state, Vienna and its neighbouring capital Bratislava, have gradually grown together to become once more the twin cities they were before the Second World War, when there was even a tramline connecting the two cities. Földavari points out that the Slovak government has made efforts to network air, train and ship traffic between the two countries, but adds that since the right-wing populist parties came to power in Slovakia this cooperation is at risk. "Over the past few years the political approach has been to promote the joint development of two cities that complement each other perfectly. Money from Vienna, manpower from Bratislava – both sides stood to profit from a collaboration. However, the new Slovak government led by Robert Fico has put the brakes on further infrastructural development between the two cities." (23/08/2006)

» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Slovakia, » Austria
All available articles from » Zsuzsa Földvari