With the second attack in three days, terror has returned to Northern Ireland. The Irish Times condemns the perpetrators: "Above all, though, there is the challenge of ridding Irish culture of the last vestiges of the sneaking regard for their crude ideology and the murderous methods that flow from it. A part of the price that has been paid for the peace process, and for bringing paramilitary killers in from the cold, has been a reluctance to challenge too strongly the notion that violence was ultimately vindicated. We must acknowledge that paramilitarism achieved nothing for the Irish people over 30 years except blood and tears. It was, and is, a dead end. Those who would revive it must be treated by everyone, of every political persuasion, for what they are: the enemies of democracy, decency and Ireland." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » United Kingdom, » Ireland

With their most recent killings the nationalists are intent on rekindling the violence in Northern Ireland, writes Die Presse newspaper: "What the IRA renegades are doing is diabolical. They are seeking to tear open the wounds of Northern Irish society which have just barely healed. They are sewing discord between Protestants and Catholics in the hope that the two communities will once more go at each other's throats. The current leaders in Belfast are aware of these plans and appealing urgently to Protestants not to let themselves be incited to committing acts of revenge. As banal as it sounds in such a tense atmosphere, the Northern Irish politicians are right: the important thing now is to keep a cool head. That is the only way to help counter the murderous plans of the IRA psychopaths - as well as painstaking police work, of course." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Ireland
All available articles from » Burkhard Bischof

The daily Kainuun Sanomat writes that the economic crisis is partially to blame for violence flaring up again in Northern Ireland: "During the times of the Northern Ireland peace process the economy developed rapidly, and then the financial crisis hit. The price of real estate dropped by at least a third last year and unemployment is rapidly increasing . … The collapse of financial capitalism is radicalising several extremist groups. Wall Street and the irresponsible bankers of London City are to blame for this disaster, for the loss of jobs and misery all over the world. Marxist-anarchist ideas and the concept of armed resistance are now more in vogue in Europe than they were in the last decade. The security authorities must be on their guard - and not just in Northern Ireland." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Economic Policy, » Ireland, » Global

After the recent attacks in Northern Ireland the daily NRC Handelsblad writes that history seems to be repeating itself: "The broadness of the coalition doesn't necessarily mean that the past has been forgotten. The tensions between Catholics and Protestants that sometimes coincide with the gap between poor and rich have not been resolved. Many generations have regarded above all the police as either friend or enemy. For decades almost every arrest could be seen as a political act, even if it simply involved normal crime. … In such a climate the Real IRA was able to maintain its hold throughout the past decade. … According to the authorities the perpetrators of both attacks were desperados. But this doesn't mean the issue is solely a matter for the police and judiciary to deal with. The danger has not subsided. Groups like the Real IRA can only be isolated if political cooperation in Belfast continues." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » United Kingdom

The terrorist threat posed by radical Islamist networks remains present, political expert Fernando Reinares writes in the Spanish daily El País five years after the bomb attacks in Madrid. After comparing the results of several investigations he concludes: "It doesn't look like the attacks in Madrid were carried out by a small local cell that emerged spontaneously and consisted of a group of Islamic, radicalised and isolated immigrants. And the fact that March 11 [2004, the date of the attacks in Madrid] was exactly 911 days after the 9/11 attacks seems too carefully planned to have been the work of a small group like this. Evidence like this and many other details point to the reality being much more complex and the threat still being present." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Social movements, » Spain, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Fernando Reinares

The Danish politician Naser Khader discusses in his blog the change in appearance of Islamist extremists: "Also as concerns that part of the value struggle focusing on words and arguments, an increasing number of women are taking the front row. More and more totalitarian states have women parliamentarians. We in the West clap our little hands, but many of them have been simply selected from above. Try to talk with them, listen to what they say. It's the worst form of Islamist propaganda. ... Don't forget that the Islamists have long known that fat, bearded spokesmen who don't exactly have a way with words simply don't come across well in the media. Islamists also take communication courses. But don't be fooled by appearances because their words speak for themselves. Whether they wear long beards or lipstick, the message is the same." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Social movements, » Global
All available articles from » Naser Khader

The Financial Times sees the Dalai Lama as China's best prospect for a solution to the conflict in Tibet: "For some 30 years, the Dalai Lama and his government-in-exile have adopted 'a middle way', dropping claims of independence in return for autonomy. Beijing has consistently rejected that compromise, portraying the Dalai Lama as a cunning master of double-speak. It would do better to take him at face value and to negotiate accordingly. Not only because it would be the right thing to do, but also because talking to the exiled leader is its best hope of reaching a resolution. To cede some degree of autonomy need not set a dangerous precedent, nor need it be a Trojan horse for full independence. The danger for Beijing is that, if the Dalai Lama dies before he makes a shred of progress, he will be succeeded by a radicalised generation. ... Beijing regards the Dalai Lama as its worst enemy. But he is actually its best way out of this mess." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » China

The daily Lietuvos Rytas complains that Lithuania is increasingly being referred to as part of Eastern Europe: "After five years in the EU we should really feel like full EU members. And since Romania and Bulgaria joined we're almost part of the old guard. But increasingly in these times of economic crisis Lithuania is once again being relegated to the 'East Bloc'. More and more we are being referred to as 'Eastern Europeans' and bundled together with Russia and Ukraine. On first glance this may look like a geographic dispute, but it has major political and cultural subtexts when it's meant to foster the illusion that we are part of the East. Of course it's no secret that Russia wants to extend its zone of influence into the EU territory. With Latvia and Estonia it pursues this strategy by means of the Russian minority living there. With us it plays down the success of independence." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » Lithuania, » Russia, » Eastern Europe
All available articles from » Margarita Starkeviciute

The first e-book hits the market in Germany today. The author, Katharina Hagena, reflects in the Süddeutsche Zeitung on how the e-book reading device will change reading and writing habits: "Clearly the medium you choose to write with will influence what you write. And probably a new medium for reading books will change people's reading habits. But will a new reading medium change our writing? After all, reading itself doesn't change. ... Reading, like writing, remains non-simultaneous, linear and analogue. ... E-books will shake up the publishing industry, the book market and sooner or later the authors. Perhaps publishers will soon be unable to protect our tender artists' souls. If copyrights become frayed and threadbare, the Internet offers - albeit in an imperfect way - the possibility of entirely circumventing the publisher. More and more writers' unions will gradually attempt to establish fees for downloading texts. ... Every reading is a live concert, every reader has his original. The e-book by contrast - at least in its current version - is only a substitute for the book. If that weren't the case it would have another name. As long as the e-book tries to be a real book, so long as it pretends it really is a book, I'm not particularly worried about the future of the book." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Audiovisual Media, » Publishing houses, » Media policy, » Germany
All available articles from » Katharina Hagena

Writing in the weekly magazine Revista 22 Iulia Motoc sees a connection between the introduction of freedom of travel and the discrimination of the Roma: "The freedom to travel to Western Europe triggered racist reactions in all Eastern European states, where the Roma minority makes up an average of five percent of the population - reactions against a community that began to emigrate to Western Europe by the thousands. This led to diverse protective measures. … One example was the reintroduction of visas in Slovakia prior to EU membership. I see the way this discriminatory policy is being legitimised in Romania as problematic and unique. We are against political correctness, which many see as the West's most absurd code of conduct. There is great confusion regarding respecting human rights and political correctness. And worse still, there is a total lack of debate on human rights. The return to racist discourse, to discrimination and persecution of any type is a renunciation of European culture, which is based on respect for human rights. But … many Eastern European states recognised only after accession how difficult it is to implement such standards." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Migration, » Integration, » Minorities, » Slovenia, » Europe, » Romania
All available articles from » Iulia Motoc

Following in the footsteps of Hungary and Latvia Romania too has now asked the European Union and international institutions for financial aid. The EU has no choice but to come to the aid of economically ailing members, the daily Financial Times Deutschland writes: "It is futile to hope that Romania will be the last case. And naturally, when faced with such acute cases the European Union will always find a way to help members that are in danger of financial collapse. The question therefore is not whether comparatively strong countries like Germany should be prepared to help when further EU partners need loans. The question is how such financial aid can be provided most effectively. Those who simply refuse to participate in such a discussion because it could antagonise their own voters and provoke envy among other EU partners run the risk of being overtaken by events." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Germany, » Europe, » Romania

The Swedish daily Göteborgs-Posten calls for Sweden to also introduce the scrapping bonus paid in other European countries to people who trade in their old cars for new ones as a measure for stimulating the economy. "Many European countries have introduced such a bonus to induce people to trade in their dirty old cars for new, greener models. In France the bonus is 1,000 euros and in Germany it's as high as 2,500. It has a double impact. On the one hand it helps the climate and the environment and on the other it creates welcome demand for new cars. Sweden has exactly the same problems as the rest of Europe. Why doesn't the government see the advantages of these measures?" (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economic Policy, » Sweden

Many prestigious media like the Wall Street Journal, The Economist and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung publish incorrect analyses of the financial situation in Bulgaria, Dnevnik newspaper writes, concluding that this reporting has a negative influence on market behaviour: "The typical country analyst at the Wall Street Journal or The Economist is a business journalist without a doctorate, often with no more than a high-school diploma. Ninety percent of the time that's entirely sufficient for the needs of the newspaper - until the moment comes when such analysts start making economic forecasts. ... Because it's simpler, they use models that can produce apocalyptic results. Bulgaria is often lumped together with Romania, because of their geographic and economic proximity. But this overlooks an essential difference: the two countries have totally different currency regimes." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Print media, » Economic Policy, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Radoslav Raikov

Copyright law died on its 300th anniversary, the daily La Repubblica writes, but adds that the credibility of copyright is by no means in crisis: "On the contrary, the increasingly ill-defined concept of 'intellectual property' is gaining popularity. … In Stockholm a trial against [the Internet exchange portal] Pirate Bay is currently underway which will rewrite the rules. … If the Swedish pirates who plundered the sea of Internet information and provided around 22 million customers with the data free of charge are sentenced, this will serve as a precedent case to deter any potential imitators. Meanwhile, the guardians of copyright are also hoping to make a killing in the telecommunications sector. The goal is to convince Internet service providers to support efforts to hunt down copyright violations rather than continue acting as accomplices. … For their part the defenders of copyright are trying to take advantage of their gravediggers: they want to introduce user fees for data carriers like USBs, MP3, CDs and mobile telephones." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Online media, » Global
All available articles from » Ettore Livini

For decades the Dutch football club Ajax Amsterdam has been associated with Jews, a fact which has often led to anti-Semitic chants by opposing fans. The Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI) has called on Ajax fans to stop using the nickname 'Jewish club'. The right-wing conservative weekly paper Elsevier criticises the appeal: "It's a rather strange thing to ask: The calls of 'Hamas, Hamas, Jews in the gas' coming from the stands - from a very small group it must be said - are certainly unpleasant. But it is rather nonsensical to give Ajax supporters the blame for these chants, and even for the violence outside the stadium. ... The problem won't go away if Ajax fans just call themselves 'sons of God' [Ajax's other nickname] in future. The problem is not the name, but the intolerance. And it is this intolerance that must be fought with strict measures against anti-Semitic aggression." (11/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Sport, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Gerry van der List