Dejan Kovac comments on the IOC's decision to award the 2014 Winter Olympics to the Russian resort of Sochi: "Given that the country is virtually synonymous with our idea of a true winter, it's certainly earned its first Winter Olympics, particularly when you consider the 293 medals it's won at this event in the past. In a way, its successful bid for the Winter Olympics is a consolation for the fiasco of Moscow's candidacy for the 2012 summer games. Obviously Putin used the same tactics in Guatemala that Blair's lobbyists used in Singapore." (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, słoweński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Sport, » Rosja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Dejan Kovac

It's an amazing feat to convince the IOC to give the Winter Olympics to a city that has no winter sports facilities whatsoever, but Putin has pulled it off, writes Christoffer Herberts. "The city has always been known as a summer resort, but there's plenty of snow just a couple of kilometres away in the Caucasus. The Russian government has announced it will invest nine billion euros to build the necessary infrastructure. Russian environmental organisations are up in arms because they think the project will cause huge damage in a region which is under UNESCO protection... But the protests fell on deaf ears at the IOC. The Austrian city of Salzburg didn't stand a chance, even though it was the candidate that focussed most on environmental issues in its bid and wanted to organise green games." (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, szwedzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Środowisko, » Sport, » Austria, » Rosja, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Christoffer Herberts

"Is one allowed to express one's amazement that the world is so taken aback that Sochi won the 2014 Winter Games?" Thomas Neuhold asks. "One is. Decisions that carry such far-reaching economic implications are also made on the basis of economic considerations. Sochi is one of the greatest development projects in the history of Russia. And incidentally, quite a few Austrian companies will also no doubt profit substantially from the project. The hope of opening up new markets was a key factor behind the decision in favour of Sochi, and at present these markets happen to be in Eastern Europe." (06/07/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Sport, » Rosja, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Thomas Neuhold

Jens Weinrich is apalled at the IOC's decision. "In a nutshell, the IOC wasn't motivated by political considerations; it allowed itself to be bought. The decision is a declaration of bankruptcy from IOC President Jacques Rogge. When the Belgian took office six years ago he promised among other things to reduce the cost of the Olympics, reform the games and make them more transparent, efficient and generally more affordable... The IOC is negating the findings of its own inquiry committee, which graded Sochi as the worst-equipped candidate from a technical point of view. The message from Guatemala says voting won't be necessary in future, and the same goes for campaigns. Those interested in hosting the Olympic Games need only say how much they're willing to pay." (06/07/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Sport, » Rosja, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Jens Weinreich

In a polemic published by the Project Syndicate, Dutch writer Ian Buruma analyses the term 'Islamofascism'. "[It] was not coined for nothing. It invites us to see a big part of the Islamic world as a natural extension of Nazism. Saddam Hussein, who was hardly an Islamist, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is, are often described as natural successors to Adolf Hitler. ... Analogies with the Third Reich, although highly effective as a way to denounce people with whose views one disagrees, are usually false. No Islamist armies are about to march into Europe – indeed, most victims of Revolutionary Islamism live in the Middle East, not in Europe – and Ahmadinejad, his nasty rhetoric notwithstanding, does not have a fraction of Hitler's power." (06/07/2007)

» Strona www (Link zewnętrzny, La Vanguardia)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Religia, » Światopogląd, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Ian Buruma

Biophysicist and author Stefan Klein thinks it's a mistake for German academics to speak only English - and rather poor English at that - even at conferences held in Germany. They should, he believes, try to express themselves clearly and interestingly in their native language. "How do they expect to be understood in a society whose language they don't even share? Soon we may not be able to discuss new research results at all in German because we lack the vocabulary. Society is in danger of splitting into those that use an elite language and those who can't keep up with the latest developments. Whether or not German remains an academic language is not a question of national pride. It's democracy that's at stake here... Science and research is also the story of people who set out to understand the world and improve it. This is why the works of Darwin, Galileo and Einstein are still so fascinating today. Only if we learn how to tell that story again, will German have a future as a language of science." (06/07/2007)

» Strona www (Link zewnętrzny, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Nauka/ Badania naukowe, » Niemcy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Stefan Klein

Philip Stephens, a columnist for the daily, analyses the strategy behind the Gordon Brown government's change to the vocabulary used by Tony Blair. "Britain's new prime minister is eschewing talk of 'a war on terror'. The attempted bombings in London and Glasgow have also seen Gordon Brown's government avoid references to 'Islamist terrorists'. Instead, ministers have denounced the attacks as acts of criminality. ... the 'war on terror' catchline has seemed to validate the jihadi claim of a clash of civilisations between Islam and the west. That in turn assists al-Qaeda and its affiliates in drawing the myriad conflicts in the Middle East into a single narrative of western oppression. ... Above all the west needs to differentiate between al-Qaeda's brand of irreconcilable extremism and the many other grievances, conflicts and stand-offs that fuel violence in the Muslim worlds." (06/07/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Wielka Brytania, » Bliski i Środkowy Wschód
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Philip Stephens

The deal reached in Brussels on June 22nd sacrifices certain elements that the Italian ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Renato Ruggiero considers essential to Europe. "If the election of the President of the European Council is a step forward for the establishment of a common foreign policy, abandoning the idea of the post of a Foreign Affairs Minister, rejected by the British, brought to light the contradictions at the heart of the EU. ... Abandoning as well the creation of European symbols, such as the blue flag, Beethoven's Ode to Joy proposed as a European national anthem, and the motto of 'United in Diversity', lets people believe that the European Constitution doesn't need a soul, nor symbols to support European identity." (05/07/2007)

» Strona www (Link zewnętrzny, Il Sole 24 Ore)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Wielka Brytania, » Włochy, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Renato Ruggiero

Following the unveiling of the new Fiat 500, Mario Deaglio emphasises it's symbolic role. "With this little car [first launched during the Italian economic miracle of the 1950s and 60s] the Italian economy, with a new strategy, set course to conquer Europe and its future. After the 500, we saw the Vespa, Nutella, the Lettera 22 (Olivetti's typewriter) [three Italian flagship products]. ... We have always given this car a symbolic role in the revival of the Italian economy. It's not only an industrial product, it's an industrial challenge. And if the entrepreneurs have already started to think about this new strategy, the political class doesn't yet see itself on this path. It's hard to say whether this Italy, older and surely more interested in retirements than in innovations, will be able to meet this challenge." (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, włoski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Przedsiębiorczość, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Mario Deaglio

Sabine Pamperrien puts an end to the myth that only young people use the Internet. She introduces three "very old" bloggers, among them Maria Amelia, a Spanish woman born in 1911 who has achieved Internet stardom with her 'A mis 95 años' blog and whose fame has even reached Korea. "But there's an even older blogger, the Australian Olive Riley. This old lady was born on October 20, 1899. The first entry in the blog 'All about Olive' was made on 16 February 2007. The renowned Canadian-Australian filmmaker Michael Rubbo records his conversations with her and posts them on the Internet... Enthusiastic emails from all over the world have flooded in, expressing admiration not only for the lady's great age but also her charm and mental alertness. Some commentators marvel as they count backwards. 'It's like travelling in time! I can't wait till we get to the 1910s and 1920s!'" (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Media internetowe, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Sabine Pamperrien

Thierry Fiorilli writes that the Belgian daily's editorial board considered boycotting the Tour de France, which starts Saturday, July 7th, due to the numerous doping scandals in cycling. "The winner of the 2006 tour [American Floyd Landis] was unanimously acclaimed for having brought magic, beauty and humanity back to the Tour de France. ... Then, a few days later, and there we go, the hero is revealed as a cheater. ... It's only sports. Nevertheless, if even the enjoyment is manipulated, the journalist has the right to ask himself what role he plays. If it's the puppet's, he has the duty to refuse. And it's for this reason that we made the decision 'let's go'. Because it's in following the Tour, as closely as possible, that we can best prevent it from running off course. Because you have the right to information. And because, even though divided on the credit due to the cyclists, we feel we are capable of delivering it to you." (06/07/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Media drukowane, » Sport, » Francja, » Belgia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Thierry Fiorilli

"If prizes were awarded at the documenta exhibition, Zmijewski would be my favourite," writes Piotr Sarzynski about Polish artist Artur Zmijewski and his 15-minute video "Oni" (Them). Four very different groups were involved in the workshop project: a group of female Radio Maryja listeners, members of the far-right All-Polish Youth group, members of a left-wing organisation and a group of young Polish Jews. Sarzynski describes the project: "Each group is given the task of creating something that expresses their ideological orientation. The older ladies paint a church, the members of the All-Polish Youth draw the sword of the Polish kings with a national flag, the Jews a card with 'Poland' written on it in Hebrew, the leftists the word 'Freedom'... The initial atmosphere of tolerance becomes increasingly aggressive. The participants start cutting up each other's T-shirts and end up setting the 'works of the enemy' on fire... The final scene shows an image of destruction in the aftermath of the meeting. This is a very suggestive piece of work." (04/07/2007)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, polski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Film, » Sztuki piękne, » Niemcy, » Polska
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Piotr Sarzynski

The Portuguese daily comments on the absence of catholic buildings from the list of the seven new Wonders of the World, to be made public by a private foundation on Saturday, July 7th. "The choice was made from a list of 21 candidates by internet vote. This week, the Italian Catholic daily Avvenire published an article protesting the fact that no cathedrals made the list. The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio is the only monument that has any Christian connotations. ... The Catholic Church, which could be accused of many things during its history, has undeniably constructed some magnificent monuments: the Cologne cathedral, Notre-Dame in Paris, the Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter's Basilica, the cathedral of Chartres, of Aix-la-Chapelle, of Milan... Isn't it extraordinary that none of these wonders were remembered?" (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, portugalski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Architektura / Miasta, » Cały świat

"Avignon is 60 years old. We must celebrate", writes Brigitte Salino, in the lead up to the theatre festival, which opens Friday, July 6th. Referencing 'The History of the Festival of Avignon' by Antoine de Baecque and Emmanuelle Loyer, she recalls the origins of the festival. "There isn't a linear history with Avignon ... Antoine de Baecque and Emmanuelle Loyer show this by returning to the festival's birth. At first, it wasn't an event for the masses, but more the product of a director, Jean Vilar, who had decided to create, far from Paris at the end of the Second World War, a theatre that broke from the bourgeois and routine traditions. To turn the page after some dark years, to invent another way of being, as an actor or a spectator, in the presence of the imposing and dilapidated walls of the Pope's Palace: this is what Vilar introduced in 1947, saying that he wanted to 'unite the generous art of theatre with the relaxation and pleasure of the people.'" (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Scena, » Francja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Brigitte Salino

Following England's smoking ban, the columnist Simon Jenkins decries the encroaching nanny-state. "The smoking ban was not necessary. There was no reason why an activity that causes individuals a mixture of pleasure and risk without necessarily harming others could not be left to communities and institutions to regulate for themselves. Why should a group of consenting adults wanting to smoke tobacco not be permitted to do so, if they can avoid impinging on the enjoyment of others? ... I fail to see it as an advance of liberal civilisation when a man on his way home from office or factory cannot enjoy a cigarette with his beer in a private club that has agreed to his doing so. Likewise the government bans a London club man from enjoying a cigar in a formally designated smoking room. These people harm no one but themselves. They pay their taxes and are as entitled to healthcare as the obese or the reckless driver." (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Zdrowie / Medycyna, » Wielka Brytania
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Simon Jenkins

The EU recently launched an Internet PR campaign using EUtube at Youtube in a bid to win support for its objectives. A commercial advertising the EU's film funding programme has caused a stir because it features a collage of sex scenes from prize-winning European films like "Amélie", "Head-On" and "Goodbye Lenin". Conservative politicians have shown little support and the homosexual scene has elicited criticism from Poland. Balázs Pócs thinks the commercial is wonderful: "The EU's communication department has come out of its long hibernation and discovered how to talk to Europeans. At the beginning of the video a man and woman tear each other's clothes off and then things get really hot... One thing's for sure: many EU measures will soon be forgotten, but this funding programme will stick in people's minds for a long time to come." (06/07/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Film, » Media audiowizualne, » Media internetowe, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Balázs Pócs