Latest news with #CultureMinistry
Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
Germany plans to tax Google, Facebook
Germany's Culture Ministry is planning to bring a law to tax the American online giants like Alphabet of Google and Meta of Facebook. The rate of taxation is to be 10 per cent. The grounds on which taxation is to be imposed are interesting and even new. German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer told the magazine, Stern, 'These corporations do billions in business in Germany with extremely high profit margins and benefit enormously from the country's media and cultural output as well as its infrastructure – but they pay hardly any taxes, invest too little, and give far too little back to the country.' There is more than an element of truth in Weimer's statement. Google and Facebook thrive much from the media content that populates their platforms, which is one of the reasons that millions of Net users throng them, to get the news in a jiffy as it were. Both Google and Facebook do not create an iota of their own content. They thrive on what they take from others, either directly or through their own users. Australia overcame the problem by giving in to the demand of newspapers and other old media, that Google should pay them for using their content. Weimer is stating the fact that the online platforms are using cultural output of the country – whether it be music, films, art – and they do not do anything to sustain the cultural events. Similarly, the Internet penetration in the country and the infrastructure that sustains it is what enables millions of Germans to use Google and Facebook, and it is on the large number of users that these online companies earn their revenues. It is but reasonable that the online companies should be made to pay taxes of some kind. Weimer has even suggested voluntary contribution on the part of Google and Facebook. But this may be impracticable. No company will be willing to make voluntary contribution in lieu of taxes. The American online platforms have an advantage over national players because they have worldwide footprint because of the investments they made in the search engines reaching the ends of the globe as it were. They are indeed reaping benefits from it. But do they have an obligation to the regions and countries in which they operate? Google and Facebook can argue that they have built the cyber bridges to connect the different places, and they are allowing a free use of it. The owners of these platforms would not let these sites remain free if they were not earning enough revenue in billions of dollars. If they did not make money, they would have imposed some user-charges from the thousands of millions who use them around the globe. They can say that they have boosted other businesses through the space they have opened up for other businesses. These arguments do not however discredit the demand for tax payments from national governments. That these online payers use national airwaves is a fact. It can be argued that it is the telecom companies in these countries which have the right to charge these companies. But the search engines with enormous Cloud or memory power which sustain these platforms do cost enough money, but the revenue generated by advertisers outstrips the investment and costs of maintenance. National governments have a legitimate right to demand tax from the online platforms because they operate within the sovereign territory of a country. Facebook and the Google do not have the solidity of an iPhone, but they are at the same time cyber-products. They can be treated as taxable products or services. The rate of taxation should remain flexible enough so that the thriving business of connecting people is not affected or dampened.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Outrage in Greece after 'Adidas advert' appears to show drone shoe 'booting' the Acropolis - as Greek government vows to take 'legal action'
The Greek government has filed a lawsuit after a drone show seemingly advertising Adidas appeared over the Acropolis on Friday. Illuminated drones appeared to form a branded shoe which 'kicked' the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Athens, Greece. Images plastered across social media also show the drones assembling to illustrate the instantly recognisable logo of the German-born sports retailer - as well as the words 'Feel Fast'. The Acropolis, a rocky outcrop over Athens, houses the Parthenon Temple - a symbol of Athens' Golden age that was built in 432 B.C. to honour the goddess Athena, and is one of the most visited sites worldwide. Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in an interview on Friday that the show used the sacred site for commercial purposes without the permission of the Culture Ministry. She argued that it went against a national law for the protection of antiquities. According to the Constitution of Greece, 'the protection of the natural and cultural environment constitutes a duty of the State and a right of every person'. The main legislation governing the protection of cultural heritage is Law 3028/2002. 'It's like the Adidas shoe kicking the Acropolis,' Mendoni told local Skai radio. 'A lawsuit has been already filed against anyone responsible.' The drones also appeared to form the words 'Feel Fast'. Adidas said 'all required permits were received and adhered to' Infuriated residents of Athens took to social media to express their outrage at the insensitive advert. 'The sacred hill of acropolis is being used to promote Adidas,' one wrote on X/Twitter as they called for a boycott of the sports brand. 'This should be illegal.' A second chimed in: 'They don't respect Acropolis.' To which a third replied: 'Shoe over Acropolis - you have to be particularly culturally insensitive, uncreative and money-fuelled to pull this off.' In disbelief, another questioned: 'Using the Acropolis as a billboard? Adidas just projected drones over one of humanity's most sacred heritage sites — for a shoe ad. 'This isn't innovation. It's vandalism out of scale,' they added. Adidas said 'all required permits were received and adhered to'. 'No image of the Acropolis monument was used by Adidas for advertising or other purposes,' the company said in an emailed statement. Infuriated residents of Athens took to social media to express their outrage at the insensitive advert The culture ministry said it was also investigating whether the licensing procedure for the drone overflight had been followed. The move comes weeks after Greece dismissed a request by director Yorgos Lathimos to film scenes of his upcoming 'Bugonia' movies on the Acropolis hill on the grounds they were incompatible with what the ancient Greek monument symbolised.
The Star
17-05-2025
- The Star
Strong winds damage replica of iconic Dolphin Mural at Knossos Palace
ATHENS, May 17 (Xinhua) -- A replica of the famous Dolphin Mural at the Knossos archaeological site on Greece's Crete island was damaged on Friday due to strong winds in the area, the Greek Culture Ministry said on Saturday. Two sections of the plaster replica have collapsed and been damaged. The site, a popular tourist destination, had been closed to the public a few hours earlier as a precautionary measure due to the adverse weather conditions. Archaeologists have already collected fragments of the replica, which was created in 1960, according to the ministry's statement. The original Dolphin Mural, which dates back to the Bronze Age, approximately 1600-1500 B.C., is on display at the Archaeological Museum in the nearby port city of Heraklion. One of the palace's most iconic artworks, the Dolphin Mural depicts dolphins and fish in a lively marine scene. Knossos was a major center of the Minoan civilization, which flourished on Crete during the Bronze Age.
Metro
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Greece files lawsuit against Adidas over drone shoe 'kicking' Acropolis advert
Greece has filed a lawsuit against Adidas over what appeared to be a drone light show advertising the sports brand over the Acropolis. Images and video shared on social media show illuminated drones forming a shoe, with the ancient Athens citadel in the background. Adidas's three stripe logo, along with the words Feel Fast, were also displayed using the lights. Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said on Friday that the show used the Acropolis for commercial purposes against a national law and took place without approval from the Culture Ministry. 'It's like the Adidas shoe kicking the Acropolis,' Ms Mendoni told local Skai radio. 'A lawsuit has been already filed against anyone responsible.' Adidas said in a statement that 'all required permits were received and adhered to'. 'No image of the Acropolis monument was used by Adidas for advertising or other purposes.' The light show was put on by Essence Mediacom as part of a campaign for an Adidas product. Some reports suggest Essence Mediacom applied on April 30 for permission to hold the show and was granted approval for the fee of 'just 380 euros ($423)'. The drones were launched from the Zappeion, a neo-classical palatial building managed by a state-appointed commission, which is overseen by the national economy ministry. Ms Mendoni said: 'The Zappeion administration should have sought approval from the Culture Ministry before granting such authorisation. 'There has been a violation of the law on archaeological heritage.' Laws regulating the use of Greek archaeological sites – many dating back more than 2,500 years – are particularly strict. The Acropolis, which sits on a hill in Athens, was built in 432BC to honour the goddess of Athena and is one of the most visited sites in the world. The opposition Pasok party accused the government of negligence, saying: 'The Acropolis, a global symbol of culture and democracy, cannot be treated as a backdrop for commercial use. More Trending 'Serious questions arise about the role and responsibility of the Culture Ministry.' The incident comes after the Culture Ministry rejection an application from Greek Oscar-winning director Yorgos Lanthimos to film at the Acropolis. The ministry argued the scenes do not reflect the historic site's image. People have criticised the decision, with one person writing online this week: 'No to Yorgos Lanthimos. Yes to Adidas. No to art, yes to money.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'It's very chill': Your favourite European beaches that aren't full of tourists MORE: Is it safe to travel to Crete? Tsunami alert issued for Greek holiday island MORE: Map shows where Crete earthquake hit amid tsunami warning
Economic Times
17-05-2025
- Economic Times
Entry to all ASI sites to be free on International Museum Day
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Entry to all sites and museums under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) across the country will be free on Sunday in view of the International Museum Day . There are 3,698 protected monuments and sites, and 52 museums under the ambit of the ASI."The ASI is pleased to announce that entry to all ASI monuments and museums across the country will be free on May 18, on the occasion of International Museum Day," the Culture Ministry said in a International Museum Day highlights the vital role that museums play in preserving cultural heritage , promoting education, and fostering dialogue across communities and year to encourage wider public participation, the ASI is offering free access to its network of 52 site museums and all ticketed monuments across the country, which house some of India's most treasured archaeological artefacts, from prehistoric tools and sculptures to medieval inscriptions, and more, the statement said."This initiative seeks to deepen public engagement with India's rich cultural legacy and to provide a meaningful platform for people to reconnect with history and heritage," it ASI also has a dedicated Museum Wing which deals with maintenance and management of its site museums, which includes one at Sarnath site (1910) being the earliest in the series of archaeological site museums located across the country, the ministry concept of archaeological site museums sought to preserve and display the excavated and movable artefacts near the site so that the displayed objects don't lose its context and may be studied by researchers and visitors alike while visiting the site, it India's first underground museum at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Humayun's Tomb was inaugurated, along with the Virtual Experiential Museum at Man Mahal Observatory, Varanasi and Archaeological site of Lalitagiri at Odisha, the ministry site museums are being upgraded to facilitate the need of every section of the society, and with modern interventions like AR-VR (augmented reality-virtual reality) also being incorporated to give visitors a holistic experience, officials said.
