Inside Europe is a one hour weekly news magazine that explores the topical issues shaping the continent. The programme includes a European newscast, interviews with newsmakers and personalities, background features and cultural reports from correspondents throughout the region. The programme is produced every Thursday.
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2/3/2012 | Download File (25.08 MB) - right click to download
On this week's program: We'll meet the Russians who are getting creative in their protest against Putin - Is the Austrian parliament too crowded? - Julian Assange is nearing the end of his fight against extradition - the link between alcohol and sexual violence in the UK - Istanbul undertakes a controversial urban renewal project - and a Bulgarin school introduces chess on the curriculum. Host: Gabriel Borrud Producers: Matt Hermann, Joanna Impey Protests in RussiaRussia is in the midst of political upheaval ahead of presidential elections in March. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has led Russia in some form for over a decade, looks set to reenter the office of president. But more and more Russians are protesting against Putin's return to power. In December, tens of thousands took to the streets of Moscow to vent their anger at Putin's United Russia party. It was the biggest protest in Russia in years - and it came as a shock to the Kremlin. Now, ahead of the next mass protest, scheduled for Saturday, Russians are exploring new ways of expressing their anger. Jessica Golloher reports from Moscow. Too many lawmakers in Austria?In the face of the debt crisis European governments are under pressure to save money. The Austrians have come up with a way to tighten the financial belt - by getting rid of parliamentarians. They say there too many MPs sitting around in Vienna doing nothing. But when it comes to having a lot of MPs, Austria's not even close to the extreme. In Greece and Italy, for instance - countries that endanger the very solvency of Europe -, there are many more lawmakers per capita ... Kerry Skyring reports from Vienna. End of the road for Julian AssangeIn the UK, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has entered the latest stage in his long battle against extradition to Sweden over rape allegations. This week, he attended a hearing at England's highest court, the Supreme Court. Assange has been on bail for over a year now, after he was arrested in London in December 2010. Assange strongly denies allegations that he raped two women in Sweden; however, the Swedish prosecutor issued a wanted notice for him via the European Arrest Warrant System. Catherine Heard is Head of Policy at Fair Trials International, talked to Inside Europe about extradition policy within the EU. We asked her first whether Assange is nearing the end of the road in his battle against extradition. Alcohol and sexual violence in the UKThe UK has the lowest conviction rate for rape cases in Europe. These poor figures can be linked to the UK's drinking culture - wherever alcohol is involved, the chances that a rapist will be convicted are drastically reduced. British society too, seems to have a harsh view of rape victims who've been drinking heavily. Laura Schweiger brings us this report on the sobering truth of alcohol-related rape. Gold mine protests in RomaniaIn Romania, protests over a gold mine project have spread from the small town Rosia Montana where it's located all the way to the capital Bucharest. This week Greenpeace activists descended on the environment ministry to try to stop the plans for the mine from going ahead. The project, which aims to use cyanide to extract hundreds of tons of gold, has also divided locals into two opposing camps - those who support it and those who fear it will destroy the area's tourist potential and its ancient archaeological remains. Tom Wilson went to Rosia Montana to hear both sides of the story. Istanbul slum clearanceIstanbul - Turkey's largest city - is booming. Throughout the entire metropolis, where some 13 million people live, authorities are embarking on massive projects to redevelop the city. But these projects mean that thousands of people will have to move - in many cases to make way for high-end apartments and housing complexes. Nowhere is the contrast more stark than in Tarlabasi - a poor neighborhood in central Istanbul that developers can't wait to "refurbish" at a tidy profit. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Switzerland's 'contract children'In the past, Swiss orphans or children from homes deemed unfit by the state were taken to camps and forced to work as indentured servants. These "contract children," or Verdingkinder, reveal a dark part of Swiss history, one that has been repressed until now, even though the practice existed until the 1960s. Imogen Foulkes reports on the practice Switzerland is only now beginning to address - and the solace that comes with the state's recognition of their suffering. Anti-Semitism in GermanyWe move now to Germany - where grappling with the past is a daily fact of life. At least 1 in 5 Germans harbors some kind of anti-Jewish beliefs, according to a recent study that was commissioned by German parliament. The study found, though, that these beliefs are not like the anti-Semitism of the 1930s that allowed Nazi ideology to flourish. Back then, anti-semitic beliefs were expressed publicly - now they are kept inside, or what researchers call "latent anti-semitism." Inside Europe talked to one of the authors of the report, the historian Peter Longerich. He teaches Nazi-era Germany at Royal Holloway, University in London. We began by asking what "latent" anti-Semitism is ...? Chess in BulgariaFor some, chess may have been a major part of life, but many children in the West barely know how to play the game. But there's one school in Bulgaria that's trying to change that. The school claims to be the first in Europe to have introduced chess as a compulsory subject for all its students. And those behind the project want the idea to be extended across the continent. Deutsche Welle's Joanna Impey took a trip to school in the Bulgarian capital Sofia to learn more.
1/29/2012 | Download File (25.08 MB) - right click to download
Turkey and France are on a collision course over the French senate's passing of a genocide bill - The trial in Spain of a judge investigating Franco-era crimes opens up old wounds - The captain of Italy's disaster-stricken cruise ship symbolizes the country's deeper political problems - French hostage policy comes under increasing scrutiny.French-Turkish collision courseThe French senate’s passing of a law that criminalizes denying genocide has provoked outrage in Turkey. The bill is devoted to the murder of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago. The French senate’s passing of a law that criminalizes denying genocide has provoked outrage in Turkey. Nearly a century ago, Ottoman troops murdered between half a million and 1.5 million Armenian citizens of the Empire. Turkey, as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, strongly denieds that the series of massacres amounted to genocide - preferring to see them in the context of putting down a rebellion. Today, most historians outside Turkey disagree. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the bill devoted to a point of historical accuracy has put France and Turkey on a present-day collision course.Anti-fascist judge on trial in SpainBaltasar Garzon, known throughout the world for pursuing high-profile cases, is now on trial himself for allegedly abusing his powers in a bid to invesigate Franco-era crimes. The case has opened old wounds in Spain. Baltasar Garzon is an investigating judge known throughout the world for pursuing high-profile cases, such as the one against former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. But in recent weeks he’s twice gone on trial himself, in both cases for allegedly abusing his powers. In either of these cases he could be barred from working as a judge for many years. But it’s the second trial that has been particularly controversial, as it focuses on Garzon’s attempt to investigate the crimes of Spain’s own four-decade dictatorship. Guy Hedgecoe reports from Madrid.Russia's opposition gears up for more protestsAfter years of political passivity, Russians took to the streets in December in the biggest protests since the end of the Soviet Union. Ahead of presidential elections, the opposition is set to protest again in February. This past December tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets several times in what were the biggest protests since the end of the Soviet Union. They protested against the parliamentary elections in early December because they thought they had been rigged, and against the government of Vladimir Putin, for having rigged them. Russia has yet another election coming up on March 4 - one in which Putin himself will be running to re-take his former post as President. But before that happens, Russia’s opposition has set February 4 as a day of protest. Mareike Aden has this report on their preparations in Moscow.Latvia's Russians want their language recognizedMany ethnic Russians are still living in Latvia, and they are fighting for recognition of Russian as an official language. They've collected enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue, scheduled for February 4. Many ethnic Russians are still living in Latvia - after having moved there in Soviet times - and they are fighting for recognition of Russian as an official language. They collected enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue - scheduled for February 4. Observers say the initiative is doomed to fail, but political factions have been using the vote for their purposes. And this is posing some difficult questions regarding Latvia and its future. Gederts Gelzis has this report from Riga.For Italians, 'Schettino' behavior is to blame for country's crisisThe Costa Concordia cruise ship tragedy and its clear element of human error have deeply embarrassed Italians and they see the ship's captain and his tragic showboating as emblematic of the country’s deeper problems.Clean-up teams in Italy are still hard at work at the site of the deadly crash of the Costa Concordia, which toppled over last week when its captain Francesco Schettino steered the ship too close to shore and hit a rock. The tragedy and its clear element of human error have deeply embarrassed Italians and they see Schettino and his tragic showboating as emblematic of the country’s deeper problems. From talk shows to t-shirt slogans, many Italians are expressing their outrage at the captain and insisting the country, now in a recession and an ongoing political crisis - now more than ever - needs an alternative model of behavior. Megan Williams has this report.Airlines angry over their inclusion in EU emissions schemeThe EU's Emissions Trading Scheme has long encompassed emissions-producing industries like electric power production and heavy manufacturing. Now airlines are in, too, and they're unhappy about it.In Europe, the airline industry and government have been squabbling for years over the inclusion of the industry in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The scheme, around since 2005, has long since encompassed other emissions-producing industries like electric power production and heavy manufacturing. And after a seven-year grace period, airlines are in now too. But many of them, especially those headquartered outside of Europe, are not happy about it. They say they’ll be put at a disadvantage and will have to charge much higher fares. DW environment editor Nathan Witkop helps explain how the scheme works.French hostage policy under scrutinyTwo aid workers were freed from captivity in Somalia this week. If the captives had been French nationals - where the government has the reputation of paying off kidnappers - the abductors might’ve got paid.Two aid workers were freed from captivity in Somalia after a raid by US Navy seals this week. The Danish man and American woman had been held by bandits who were hoping for a hefty ransom. It’s a pity for them they didn’t kidnap French nationals - they might’ve got paid. A debate is under way in
1/22/2012 | Download File (0.02 MB) - right click to download
On this week's program: we meet young Hungarians looking to leave the country as it heads towards a legal battle with the EU - in Turkey, rights groups say the verdict in the Hrant Dink trial sends out all the wrong messages -How tight are safety standards in the cruise ship industry? - And how do locals in East London feel about hosting the Olympics on their doorstep?Young Hungarians seek escapeHungary's conflict with the European Union has reached a new level. This week the European Commission issued an ultimatum: Change your laws or face legal action. The widening rift between Budapest and Brussels is casting an ominous shadow over Hungary’s future in the EU. And as Nate Tabak reports from Budapest, the situation is leading some people to look at leaving Hungary behind.Romania protestsRomania saw some of the first large-scale violent protests since the revolution, sparked off by proposed changes to a health care law. Many protestors are promising to continue until the government falls. As Tom Wilson reports from the university campus in Bucharest where the demonstrations took place, some believe the whole protest movement is a sham.Cruise ship safetyTelevised images of the deadly wreck of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy have shocked viewers all over the world. And they’ve also led many to wonder about the state of safety regulation in the cruise ship industry. For all the growth in the cruise industry - and in the size of the ships themselves - has industry regulation kept pace? Stefan Jäger is President of the European Cruiser Association, a group which represents the interests of cruise ship passengers. How safe does he think cruise ships are?Hrant Dink verdictTurkey's treatment of its Armenian minority and commitment to address political assassinations is coming under renewed scrutiny. There has been outrage over a court's verdict this week to only convict one person and acquit a further 18 for the shooting of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink five years ago. Representatives of the Turkish state are widely suspected of having been involved in the killing. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the verdict is a cause for concern for human rights activists.Olympics disappoint localsSince 2005 - when London won the bid to host the Games - more than 11 billion euros of public money has been spent to fund them. But many local residents in Stratford in East London, where the Olympic park is situated, are feeling pretty downtrodden. Stratford is one of the poorest and most immigrant-heavy areas in London and they express doubt that all the construction and disruption will pay a lasting economic dividend. Nina-Maria Potts reports.Urban renewal in GuimaraesGuimaraes in northern Portugal is soon to be inaugurated as one of two European capitals of culture in 2012. As Alison Roberts reports from Guimaraes, politicians and local community leaders are trying to use the initiative as an economic driver, rather than an expensive inconvenience, in these times of austerity.Fracking in AustriaResidents of a small Austrian are about to take on the country's oil giant, OMV. They are against the company's plans to recover shale gas using the controversial extraction process known as fracking or hydraulic fracturing. Fracking has made headlines in the United States and other parts of the world because of its environmental impact. It has been banned in France and there've been big protests against it in Bulgaria and parts of Europe. Kerry Skyring spoke with some fracking foes (and proponents) in the Northern Austrian town of Herrnbaumgarten.Letterboxing in IrelandMany Europeans - and visitors to Europe - spend their free time and vacations searching for hidden treasures. This game of hide-and-seek takes people to unknown spots close to home and off the beaten track. Letterboxing also lets them communicate with like-minded folks and share bits of their lives in a way that just seems a little more special than posting on facebook. Our reporter Nancy Greenleese (who might just be a letterboxer herself) went along on a hunt in Ireland.
1/15/2012 | Download File (0.02 MB) - right click to download
On this week's program: how should Europe respond to Iran's nuclear expansion? - Switzerland may not use the euro, but it's not immune to the eurozone crisis - We examine ten years of Germany's anti-terror laws - Merkel and Sarkozy: do they really see eye-to-eye? - Why sales of German cars are booming in the US - and the real taste of Tuscany.IAEA Iran sanctionsWednesday saw another Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated in Tehran, leading the Islamic Republic to claim Israel or the United States had perpetrated an act of terrorism within its borders. The killing happened just days after it emerged that Iran had opened a new nuclear enrichment facility not far from the city of Qom near Tehran. That news sent the International Atomic Energy Association in Vienna into high gear, and may push forward an EU decision on whether to prohibit buying Iranian oil. As Kerry Skyring reports from Vienna, an embargo could trigger an Iranian retaliation.Ten years of German anti-terror lawsHere in Germany, it has now been ten years since a comprehensive anti-terror law came into effect. Passed in the wake of the September 11 attacks, which were in part planned by students at a university in Hamburg, the law broadened the government's power to watch over German residents in an effort to keep future terror plots from coming to fruition. But the terror law is not without its critics. They say it has led to widespread state surveillance and has done little to make the country safer. Philipp Holtmann is a Berlin-based analyst of online Jihadist networks. Which parts of the law have had the most impact?Merkozy: how close are the two leaders?The New Year is only about two weeks old, but the leaders of France and Germany have already met with each other for a fresh round of talks on the Eurozone crisis. It's the tete-a-tetes between Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy, which seem to happen prior to just about every EU summit, that really get the world's attention. Their closeness has even earned them the joint nickname "Merkozy". But in truth, Merkel and Sarkozy are two very different politicians – two who often struggle to meet eye to eye. And only one of them has the final say, as Vanessa Mock reports from Berlin…Swiss economy stallsPhew, this Eurozone crisis is enough to make many question whether signing up for the euro - or even the EU - was ever really a good idea. Would it have been better simply not to have joined Europe's big club? Imogen Foulkes reports from a country in the heart of Europe which did just that.Turkey coup indictmentsIn Turkey, the two surviving leaders of the 1980 coup that established military rule have been charged with crimes against the state. The move is widely being touted as an important step in the country facing up to its dark legacy of military rule - but others find its timing a bit too convenient. Dorian Jones has this report from Istanbul. German cars booming in USThe Detroit Auto Show is on is usually an event at which domestic carmakers take center stage but this year German auto firms had plenty to crow about. Volkswagen saw a huge 25% rise in US sales last year. German luxury carmakers, meanwhile, pushed away fears that the recession would hurt their sales, with BMW having an especially strong 2011. They were the top luxury brand in the US. So what is making German cars so hot in the US right now? Daanesh Chanduwadia is an auto industry analyst and brand consultant who has worked for many leading car companies.Real taste of FlorenceWe’ll move now to Florence, where one women is fighting the good fight against bad food. Antoinette Mazzaglia wants tourists to find better food in her adopted home.The food and wine expert kept hearing tourists complaining about the cuisine. She asked them where and what they were eating and realized that she needed to lead them by the hand – or, better yet, by the tongue – to the proper places. Taste Florence started serving up tours four years ago. Nancy Greenleese tagged along to get a true taste of the Tuscan capital.Silent discosThrowing a noisy party when you live in an apartment building can be a challenge. Parisians have it particularly bad - the whole city is full of apartment blocks and it is practically impossible to play music at dancing volume without upsetting a large number of people. The Parisians have have anti-noise pollution laws in place to make sure it's tough to host a party. So now the French capital is turning into the silent disco capital of the world. Need an explanation? Here's this report from John Laurenson on how the French are learning to party with their headphones on.
1/15/2012 | Download File (0.02 MB) - right click to download
On this week's program: how should Europe respond to Iran's nuclear expansion? - Switzerland may not use the euro, but it's not immune to the eurozone crisis - We examine ten years of Germany's anti-terror laws - Merkel and Sarkozy: do they really see eye-to-eye? - Why sales of German cars are booming in the US - and the real taste of Tuscany.IAEA Iran sanctionsWednesday saw another Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated in Tehran, leading the Islamic Republic to claim Israel or the United States had perpetrated an act of terrorism within its borders. The killing happened just days after it emerged that Iran had opened a new nuclear enrichment facility not far from the city of Qom near Tehran. That news sent the International Atomic Energy Association in Vienna into high gear, and may push forward an EU decision on whether to prohibit buying Iranian oil. As Kerry Skyring reports from Vienna, an embargo could trigger an Iranian retaliation.Ten years of German anti-terror lawsHere in Germany, it has now been ten years since a comprehensive anti-terror law came into effect. Passed in the wake of the September 11 attacks, which were in part planned by students at a university in Hamburg, the law broadened the government's power to watch over German residents in an effort to keep future terror plots from coming to fruition. But the terror law is not without its critics. They say it has led to widespread state surveillance and has done little to make the country safer. Philipp Holtmann is a Berlin-based analyst of online Jihadist networks. Which parts of the law have had the most impact?Merkozy: how close are the two leaders?The New Year is only about two weeks old, but the leaders of France and Germany have already met with each other for a fresh round of talks on the Eurozone crisis. It's the tete-a-tetes between Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy, which seem to happen prior to just about every EU summit, that really get the world's attention. Their closeness has even earned them the joint nickname "Merkozy". But in truth, Merkel and Sarkozy are two very different politicians – two who often struggle to meet eye to eye. And only one of them has the final say, as Vanessa Mock reports from Berlin…Swiss economy stallsPhew, this Eurozone crisis is enough to make many question whether signing up for the euro - or even the EU - was ever really a good idea. Would it have been better simply not to have joined Europe's big club? Imogen Foulkes reports from a country in the heart of Europe which did just that.Turkey coup indictmentsIn Turkey, the two surviving leaders of the 1980 coup that established military rule have been charged with crimes against the state. The move is widely being touted as an important step in the country facing up to its dark legacy of military rule - but others find its timing a bit too convenient. Dorian Jones has this report from Istanbul. German cars booming in USThe Detroit Auto Show is on is usually an event at which domestic carmakers take center stage but this year German auto firms had plenty to crow about. Volkswagen saw a huge 25% rise in US sales last year. German luxury carmakers, meanwhile, pushed away fears that the recession would hurt their sales, with BMW having an especially strong 2011. They were the top luxury brand in the US. So what is making German cars so hot in the US right now? Daanesh Chanduwadia is an auto industry analyst and brand consultant who has worked for many leading car companies.Real taste of FlorenceWe’ll move now to Florence, where one women is fighting the good fight against bad food. Antoinette Mazzaglia wants tourists to find better food in her adopted home. The food and wine expert kept hearing tourists complaining about the cuisine. She asked them where and what they were eating and realized that she needed to lead them by the hand – or, better yet, by the tongue – to the proper places. Taste Florence started serving up tours four years ago. Nancy Greenleese tagged along to get a true taste of the Tuscan capital.Silent discosThrowing a noisy party when you live in an apartment building can be a challenge. Parisians have it particularly bad - the whole city is full of apartment blocks and it is practically impossible to play music at dancing volume without upsetting a large number of people. The Parisians have have anti-noise pollution laws in place to make sure it's tough to host a party. So now the French capital is turning into the silent disco capital of the world. Need an explanation? Here's this report from John Laurenson on how the French are learning to party with their headphones on.
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