La Commission est un tyran

The Tyrannical EU Commission

Die Kommission ist ein Tyrann

La Comisión es una tirana

Komisja Europejska jest tyranem

La Commisione europea è tiranna

For many European citizens and some heads of state the EU Commission is an overbearing bloated bureaucracy that has too much unaccountable power. But the reality is much more nuanced.

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<p>For many European citizens and some heads of state the EU Commission is an overbearing bloated bureaucracy that has too much unaccountable power. But the reality is much more nuanced.</p>

Euromyth No.4

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Some see Angela Merkel as a dominant figure in Europe with Germany imposing its will over other EU member states. If it is true that many Germans hold key roles in EU institutions, Germany has just one vote in the Council, the same as any other member state.

Euromyth No. 2

Some see Angela Merkel as a dominant figure in Europe with Germany imposing its will over other EU member states.

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A German journalist travels through Italy, a country where usually busy cities are empty due to the coronavirus lockdown.

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Frankfurt's real estate prices have increased in recent years. Is it linked to Brexit? What will be the consequences of Brexit for this sector? Daniel Ritter, general manager of a large real estate agency, gives us his assessment.

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Daniel; Estate Agent in Frankfurt

From its beginnings with 6 members to today’s 28, peace has been central to the European project with the Franco-German partnership proving crucial in building the European Union.

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Behind his polite exterior lies a formidable leader with a ruthless character, ready to do anything to make China the world's leading power by the People’s Republic’s centenary in 2049. This well-documented portrait of the Chinese president gives an unprecedented insight into his politics and shows how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

A portrait of the Chinese president giving an unprecedented insight into his politics and showing how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

The New World of Xi Jinping

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris. After the success of the sexually explicit Last Tango in Paris, Emmanuelle appeared at a turning point in French society: The sexual emancipation following May '68 in France. 

Queen of French Erotic Cinema

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris

Emmanuelle

In France, the bungalow evokes holidays in the sun. In the UK, they are humble everyday dwellings for grandparents. But in Germany or the United States, they take on a very different form: they are a bourgeois luxury, a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature. Inspired by the "bangalo", a traditional one-storey Bengal house open to the outside, this style was also a staple of colonial architecture. 

In the US and Germany, bungalows are a bourgeois luxury: a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature

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Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.
Maurice Joyeux, from the Jesuit Refugee Service, and his friend Mortaza Behboudi chose this very moment to return to Lesbos, to find the forgotten people of the pandemic, surviving in this squalid and unsanitary camp.

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Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.

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With his Stetson on his head and a cigarette in his mouth, Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), was a singer-songwriter of incandescent, beautifully despairing country songs. He was an artist plagued by demons, often under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but he nevertheless wrote some of the masterpieces of American song, including "If I Needed You" and "To Live is to Fly", and managed to climb to the top of the charts in spite of himself with the song "Pancho and Lefty", first popularised by Emmylou Harris and then covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. His song 'Kathleen' was recently covered by Tindersticks.
 Troubled Troubadour
Through concert footage, film archives and interviews, this remarkable documentary sensitively traces Townes Van Zandt's formative experiences and existential and artistic ups and downs - from the beginning of his musical career, inspired by early Bob Dylan records and legendary blues bard Lightnin' Hopkins, to his untimely death. His managers, his children, his three wives and numerous musician friends shed light on his personality and reveal the affection they had for this troubled troubadour.

Portait of troubled Texan folk singer Townes van Zandt (1944-1997) who wrote beautiful and despairing country songs.

Townes Van Zandt: Be Here to Love Me

For decades, the middle classes were what held post-war Europe together. Confidence in the Republic and its values was a given for the French middle classes who saw the state as a force for good and believed in social mobility. That all changed with the Yellow Vest movement (2018-2019) which saw angry protests against the government. This documentary follows participants in this movement.

The Working Poor in Revolt

What is the vocal alchemy that propels pop singers to the pinnacle of success, decade after decade? While many of them, like Freddy Mercury or Alicia Keys, display impeccable power and technique, these assets are not always what counts. Can we identify common characteristics in the immense diversity of voices from pop music, past and present? With interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman, the first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice.

The first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice, with interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman.

The Magic Voices of Pop (1/2)

38 million Japanese live together in the most populated urban area in the world. No wonder that the people of Tokyo have taken over the roofs to have extra space. A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility.

A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility

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Love is political, says journalist and author Şeyda Kurt. In her book Radical Tenderness she does away with the myth of romantic love. Ultimately, the widespread ideal of romantic, two-person love only serves to preserve existing patriarchal power relations, she says. Maria Schrader's new movie Ich bin Dein Mensch revolves around a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence that is programmed to serve as the 'perfect partner'.  Plus: Philosopher Peter Trawny, who says that freedom and love are incompatible, and LBGTQI+ groups fight for the freedom to love in Islam. 

Twist

Love is political, says journalist and author Şeyda Kurt. In her book Radical Tenderness she does away with the myth of romantic love

Why is Love so Hard?

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling and to avoid shortages, scientists will have to come to the rescue.

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling

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From the Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities at the Aix-en-Provence opera festival. Conductor Thomas Hengelbrock leads a fine vocal ensemble that includes soprano Julie Fuchs, baritone Andrè Schuen and mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre.

Aix-en-Provence Festival 2021

Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities of the festival of lyric art in Aix-en-Provence.

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One Country, Two Systems? No Way! say the youth of Taiwan. But China under President Xi Jinping wants more than ever to bring the island of Taiwan back into the fold, just like Hong Kong. Can the burgeoning democracy on China’s doorstep, driven by digital technology, resist the Middle Kingdom’s advances?  

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Star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and composer JohnWilliams have long been something of a dream team. The 89-year-old American has composed a new violin concerto especially for the German violin virtuoso. Together with works by Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland and Igor Stravinsky, this world premiere is the highlight of the Tanglewood Festival 2021. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is conducted by BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and John Williams.

Programme
Jessie Montgomery: Starburst
John Williams: Violin concerto No. 2 (World Premiere)
John Williams: New arrangements of film themes “Across the Stars“
Aaron Copland: Quiet City
Igor Stravinsky: Suite from “The Firebird“ (1919 Edition)

Tanglewood Festival 2021

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs the world premiere of John Williams new violin concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams

After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set and ,as usual with London Grammar, the result is beautiful.

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After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set to perform.

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Millions of people worldwide suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), an extreme and persistent exhaustion for which there is no cure. An investigation into a little known illness focusing on the experiences of three individuals suffering from CFS: Ralf, Sonja and Aileen.

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The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians. Between the 8th and the 16th centuries this reputedly fierce warrior people practiced an unusual mortuary ritual.

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The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians with their unusual mortuary rituals.

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 French swimmer Florent Manaudou, German pentathlete Marvin Dogue and French sabre fencer Cécilia Berder all trained hard for the Tokyo Olympics, but the most important part of their training they say is in the mind. Mental conditioning is a growing science designed to get the best out of sports champions at a time when they could crumble under the pressure. At the beginning of World War Two, American airforce pilots struggled to face off against the Japanese fleet. Cue Bud Winter: in peace time, a sports coach, and in war, a mental conditioner who taught the pilots how to keep their head in the game even in life-or-death situations. Gradually, the idea that sportsmen and women were as much mind as they were muscle took hold. 

 For Olympic French swimmer Florent Manaudou, his greatest challenge is mental, not physical

Inside the Heads of Champions

From Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, to Tirano in Northern Italy, the Bernina Express winds its way through deep valleys and wild gorges, crossing some 196 bridges and going through 55 tunnels in its journey through the Graubünden Alps. A journey to discover one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world and an audacious feat of engineering.

A Train through the Alps

 A journey of discovery on one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world, and an audacious feat of engineering.

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In Japan, the “washlet” combines Western toilets with Japanese hygiene standards. A clever combination of comfort and cleanliness, they're considered a basic essential for people in Japan, although visitors may be left baffled as to how to use them. They have dozens of functionalities.

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Japanese toilets make the bathroom experience a high tech luxury

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Every year, the Kediri Vespa festival attracts thousands of enthusiasts to the Indonesian city.

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