Angry german doctors take to the streets

Another in Germany's public sector strikes hit the Berlin streets last Friday - this time angry doctors from across the nation gathering to express their dissatisfaction with the introduction of increased bureaucracy in the medical sector.
Police estimates state that 30,000 doctors gathered in front of the Berlin Town Hall to demand a rethink of medical regulations being introduced by Chancellor Merkel's government. The regulations, currently being discussed in Germany's Bundesrat, increase medical reporting and other paperwork requirements for doctors to an unacceptable level, according to spokesmen for the group.
The protest on Friday was the official start of a week-long protest starting today. Throughout Germany, thousands of practices remain closed. al

Berlin lagging in its World Cup preparations

With less than 90 days to go until the Football World Cup kicks off in Germany, the capital is showing signs of strain in its preparations.

The city's most ambitious World Cup project is the decorating of the 368 metre high Berliner Fernsehturm (TV Tower). The tower's spherical observation deck is due to be covered in 8000 square metres of pink and silver film in order to make it look like a giant football. But with the project originally due to be finished for New Year's Eve, Deutsche Telekom - the main sponsor of the project - now hopes that the project will be finished 'at the latest by the start of the World Cup' in June.

Concerns have also been expressed in the city's printed press with regards to Berlin's capacity to cope with a World Cup terrorist attack or similar disaster. A disaster simulation last Saturday unfortunately did little to alay such concerns. The triple disaster simulation occurred in three places around the city and included a stadium collapse, a gas explosion and a poisonous gas attack. In most instances emergency services took over 30 minutes to arrive. In one case a fire service vehicle from Poland was the first to get to the scene. al

Germany top medal count at Turin 2006.

Germany’s athletes returned to a heroes welcome this week, following their record-breaking 29 medals at last month’s Winter Olympics. Thanks mainly to the success of the nation’s champion bobsleders and biathletes, Germany attained 11 gold medals in Turin, two more than USA and Austria (2nd and 3rd respectively).

Whilst the success of Germany’s bobsleders was expected by many, the success of Michael Greis and Sven Fischer in the Biathlon events was a surprise to the nation’s press – the unique sport of shooting and crosscountry skiing being traditionally dominated by the Scandinavians.

Around Europe some nation’s Olympic campaigns continue despite the games being officially over. In Austria, backlash is still being felt following the police raid on the Austrian headquarters in Turin – a new anti-doping law is being planned by the Austrian government for this year. And in Sweden the nation’s victorious men’s ice hockey team has been threatened with removal of the gold medal following a breach of the IOC Rules with regards to sponsorship. al