The Times calls on the G8 to concentrate on goals it can achieve. "It is increasingly the fate of the G8 to be overestimated. Both governments and campaigners have an unreasonably elevated view of its capacity to do good. The summit that begins today should see a return to basics. ... There is, however, an important task that the summit might achieve in both policy and international governance. Policy-makers in the advanced industrial democracies face the unenviable prospect of faltering growth and surging inflation. ... A coordinated international response to the credit crisis might involve an understanding whereby rapidly growing emerging economies allow their currencies to appreciate, thereby dampening inflationary pressures and creating the conditions for renewed global economic stability." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Economic Policy, » Global

The daily Jyllands-Posten urges the G8 to open its doors to new members so it can better react to acute problems: "The economic problems are now serious and extensive and the global economy is on the brink of recession. But how can the G8 leaders make decisions about the economy if the finance ministers and heads of central banks are not present? And how can they make decisions about oil prices without OPEC? It is high time the self-satisfied members of this old club realised that they can no longer regard themselves as the driving force behind the global economy. This club must be open to new members who play a key role in the current problems. Otherwise it will become so irrelevant that the best thing to do would be to close it down altogether." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Economic Policy, » Global

The news blog Rue89 analyses the future of the G8 meeting: "For a long time the G8 summit has conveyed the fantasy image of a 'global executive'. Today the leaders of the world's major industrial states will discuss whether their structure has any meaning at all in the absence of emerging economies like China, India or Brazil. ... The G8 summit that opens today on Hokkaido is perhaps the last of its kind. ... The absence of the emerging markets ... makes this club of white executives increasingly anachronistic. ... [Nevertheless] the real question is: why enlarge the G8? ... The United Nations Organisation has more legitimacy than the G8 - or G20 - to be the 'global executive'." (06/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Global
All available articles from » Pierre Haski

Parag Khanna, a member of the political think tank The New America Foundation, believes G8 summits are obsolete in the globalised world and argues Europe should play a stronger role: "Where do we get the notion that a central authority ... could set the tone in a globalised world? Globalisation follows ... decentralisation. Power, technology and knowledge are all being decentralised. They migrate primarily ... to states one could call the new 'Second World', the next international set after the very rich and powerful. This comprises the rising powers in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. ... What we will see is a multi-polarity of non-Western powers, in which economic growth does not automatically bring freedom and human rights. Europe will play a special role as a sort of hyper or network state between the US and China. ... It is high time the Europeans started thinking and acting for themselves. To this end the EU must become strong and capable of strategic action." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Asia, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Parag Khanna

Despite outrage across Europe, the Italian government has started fingerprinting Roma living in the country's camps. The daily Die Presse is reminded of the past: "Of course, this merely serves the purposes of security. ... On the orders of the minister of the interior, the Roma camp dwellers will have their fingerprints taken. Men and women, adults and children - to 'fight crime' and 'protect' Roma children from exploitation. The prejudice that all the 'Zingari' are thieves and child abductors is an enduring one. ... Now the Roma are being put under suspicion as a group - officially and without the slightest compunction." The paper writes that above all the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini and his comrades in arms should remember that "together with their German 'friends', their earlier political role models had previously registered the Roma living in Italy. And what started with registrations ended in the gas chambers of Auschwitz." (05/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Italy
All available articles from » Wieland Schneider

In the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat, Hugh Pope, an analyst for the non-governmental organisation International Crisis Group, examines the role of the EU in the Cyprus problem: "The chances of achieving reunification in Cyprus through an agreement are better this year than they have been for decades. The EU now has the final opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past. ... The potential [for reconciliation] emerged when the desire for closer ties with the EU changed the attitude of the Turkish Cypriots and the Turks. ... Most Greek Cypriots hold the view that a compromise is the only way ... to get the Turkish troops to leave the country. ... The ... advances have been significant and point to the possibility of achieving reunification within the next twelve months. ... In short, the European heads of state and government need to tackle the Cyprus problem seriously now. After the Irish referendum there is no better opportunity for the EU to play an [important] role than in overcoming the partition of Cyprus." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Cyprus, » Europe, » Turkey
All available articles from » Hugh Pope

After a year in office, Latvian President Valdis Zatlers is nowhere near as popular as his predecessor Vaira Vike-Freiberga was. The latter was revered like a queen in Latvia. The Latvian newspaper examines the Latvian people's yearning for a monarch: "Does our society need a king or a queen? From a moral and patriotic perspective the answer is yes, but given the dangers of idolisation and cult the answer has to be no. Unfortunately, in a post-totalitarian society like Latvia's so recently after the restoration of its independence, the second variation predominates. It arises from the crisis in values that has taken grip of our society and the resulting economic and political processes and lack of orientation. All this creates a desire for simple beliefs and faith, if not in an idol then at least in a king whose craving for extravagance is also easier to forgive." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Latvia
All available articles from » Anita Daukste

Political scientist Nehat Sadiku reflects in a commentary in the daily Delo on the economic situation in Kosovo. "Owing to poor economic policy ... and potential ethnic clashes the economy is in a bad state. ... It is one of the weakest in Europe, ... the unemployment rate is high, ... and the economy is stagnating. ... For the economy of the country to start functioning normally it urgently needs access to other markets in the region. This, in turn, requires that the political relations within Kosovo and between Kosovo and its neighbours return to normal. I am convinced that opening the market to foreign investment and opening the borders to give the unemployed access to jobs abroad would help alleviate the problems." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Economic Policy, » Europe, » Kosovo
All available articles from » Nehat Sadiku

The Swiss daily Tribune de Genève analyses the impact of climate change on migration: "Climate change is a catalyst: it entails environmental, economic, social and health risks that threaten the security of mankind. ... As the planet grows warmer, the probability of unfamiliar patterns of migration in several regions of the world increases. Naturally the population movements will initially be confined to certain regions. But when these people find themselves unable to integrate, return home or settle in other areas they will have no alternative but to resume their migration, also northwards. Some have suggested granting 'climate migrants' refugee status under the Geneva Convention, but this is unrealistic. ... What is needed now is an international stage for dialogue, coordination, exchange and cooperation between states and policy makers." (05/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Environmental Policy, » Migration, » Global
All available articles from » Thomas Greminger

The Irish Times reflects on the consequences and challenges posed by the 'waning nation state'. "The last 200 years have literally seen an explosion of nation states across our planet. Most of them, like our own, are relatively new. ... We have long understood that it is in our common interest to pool our individual sovereignties into collective bodies, local authorities, national governments and, more recently, into international structures. That sovereign power is ours to pool and delegate as we see fit. ... If, as seems likely, the nation state model is reaching the end of its central existence ... we will probably develop more directly mandated international structures. As we do so, the strength of national institutions is likely to wane, and local governments will be the other major beneficiary. ... If we mandate international authorities to tackle global challenges, we will need to balance that by strengthening the role and power of our local and regional bodies." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Global
All available articles from » Tony Kinsella

Air passengers are now giving Amsterdam airport a wide berth and travelling via Belgium or Germany to avoid the high Dutch green tax. De Volkskrant comments: "The most important objection to the flight tax is that it comprises a national measure in an exceedingly international sector. Domestic air traffic counts for next to nothing in the Netherlands, and the distance to airports in neighbouring countries is too small. ... The bitter truth is that this tax, which was introduced in the context of a green tax system, ultimately does little to create a cleaner environment. It just transfers the pressure to our neighbours. It is all very well to argue that someone has to take the first step. But this cannot conceal the fact that we are in dire need of a pan-European policy here. Despite all that can be said against intervention from Brussels, this is an excellent area for the European Union to show its mettle." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Environmental Policy, » Infrastructure / Travel and Transport, » Netherlands, » Europe

A growing number of Bulgarian emigrants who left the country during the difficult years following the fall of communism are now returning to their home country. The weekly Kapital voices its delight: "Those that obtained their degrees abroad or specialised there return with a new self-confidence: They know that they are just as good as their peers all over the world. Many of them have high expectations, both regarding salaries and the positions they want to take up. But more importantly, they have an enthusiasm for changing the way many things work in their home country." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Mila Mineva

The waxwork figure of Hitler at the new "Madame Tussauds" wax museum in Berlin has been destroyed by a visitor. The left-wing daily die tageszeitung reflects on Germany's efforts to come to terms with the past. "Nowadays we are politically correct and bravely struggle to come to terms with our past. So we put the Führer back in his bunker ... and once again the German debate flares up. ... Is it acceptable to put Hitler on display, or not? ... We also torment ourselves with the question of whether the wax Hitler should be as freely accessible here in Berlin as in London, Paris or Moscow. ... We are [no longer] allowed to read 'Mein Kampf' - unlike in Tel Aviv, New York or Stockholm. Yet we and our children are supposed to be in a position to understand Hitler. ... We fight bitterly over this waxen Adolf. It enraged a former policeman to the point that he tore off the figure's head. If only the police, and above all the majority of Germans had acted like this in the 1930s! ... Protection for Adolf! And do not try to tell me German history is not making any progress." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Exhibitions / Museums, » History, » Germany
All available articles from » Rafael Seligmann

After the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Phillips, Chief Justice of England and Wales, has sparked heated controversy by saying Muslims in Britain should be able to live according to the Sharia the daily Der Standard argues for adopting another tactic: "Orthodox Jews are already bringing various disputes before religious judges without bothering the state. No one is stopping Muslims from doing the same. And conversely, no one should prevent British citizens, especially women, from seeking the protection of the civil courts. Anyone working in the law will be quick to tell you that this freedom is all too often lacking." Muslims should be involved more closely in British politics and legal practice, writes the paper, because "that would be much more useful to the two million Muslims living on the British Isles than considerations on special legal forms that will only be made use of by the deeply religious minority." (05/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Integration, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Sebastian Borger

A year ago a new abortion law entered force in Portugal which legalises abortion up to the twelfth week of pregnancy. Assessing the past year the Diário de Notícias writes: "The government, which is closing down outpatient clinics and failing to address the problem of long waiting lists for operations, is fully dedicated to promoting abortion. ... Not only does the state use public funding to finance the killing of embryos, it also provides maternity benefit to women who decide not to become mothers. The ministers are less generous with their measures to promote work, culture and investment. Hence there can be no doubt that we are not talking about the decriminalisation, liberalisation or even nationalisation of abortion here; we are talking about its promotion." (07/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health and Medicine, » Weltanschauung, » Portugal
All available articles from » João César das Neves