Op-Ed: Silvio Berlusconi tried to avoid the inevitable for far too long, as the Italian (and world) economy suffered the consequences of political stalemate. Now that Berlusconi has announced plans to resign, whatever comes next should come quick – and cl
Month: November 2011
A veteran of Israel’s 1948 war, Yoram Kaniuk is a well-known and outspoken critic of the Israeli government. But the 81-year-old Jewish writer has sparked a wider debate by fighting for his right to be “religionless.” It is a personal cause that could hav
Melting glaciers in the Himalayas put the small Kingdom of Bhutan at risk. Not only are the “frozen reservoirs” a fundamental water source, but the melting can also cause GLOFS – aka: ‘mountain tsunamis’ – killer flash floods that occur
With the financial sector in crisis, many bankers won’t get their annual fat bonuses, which had even survived the 2008 crash. Facing more structural changes, this winter may mark the end of remuneration practices that have helped spark the Occupy
ATHENS — Negotiations to choose a new Greek prime minister seemed to have been plunged into new confusion early on Wednesday following widespread reports only hours earlier that Lucas Papademos, a respected economist, was on the verge of being named to the job. read the full article
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Berlisconi is Toast
ROME — Italy“s financial crisis deepened on Wednesday despite a pledge by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign once Parliament passes austerity measures demanded by the European Union. Notes written Tuesday by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy as he suffered a parliamentary setback included the words “308, 8 traitors,” “political reversal,” “resignation,” “president” and […]
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Michigan crook found in a pile of leaves
A suspected drug producer who set off alarms in a Michigan restaurant was found by police hiding in a pile of leaves.
Berlusconi speaks with La Stampa’s editor, confirming his plans to resign, but insisting that new elections must be called, even if he will no longer be a candidate. He also compares himself to Mussolini and lashes out at those who “betrayed” him.
Local officials in western Belgium are demanding that France return an 18th century work by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens stolen by French troops. It may be just the beginning of efforts to recoup art works that were booty for imperialist French armies
In China, a group of professors at Yangtze University knelt down in front of the local municipality building to plead for the closure of a polluting steel mill. Some say it was a shameful sign of the times. But you know what? It worked.
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie SYRIA’S WAR MACHINEAl Hayat reports that Syrian forces entered the Bab al-Amr neighborhood of Homs after six straight days of shelling with heavy artillery. Activists say at least 110 people have been killed in the past week in Homs alone. The opposition Syrian National […]
The latest survey found support fading for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev after they announced plans to “swap” top positions in upcoming elections. Though the poll is not expected to unseat their Uni
An orthodontist in Munich has given her clinic an extreme and rather unusual makeover, turning a normal medical office into something akin to a Bavarian beer hall – minus the beer. Staff wear tight-fitting dirndls and lederhosen rather than white smocks t
A French reporter travels to the Tennessee location of a once and maybe future auto plant, as GM looks ready to bet on a regional workforce that is better trained than foreign rivals – and cheaper than Detroit.
Scared off by security concerns and enticed by urban employment, Colombia’s rural coffee pickers simply aren’t around for this year’s harvest. Local governments are having to get creative in their efforts to bridge the labor gap.
Serbia has positioned itself as one of the next countries likely to join the European Union. Still, a simmering conflict along the border with its old nemesis Kosovo — plus deepening unemployment — put the candidacy at risk.
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A Snapshot Of The Chinese Super-Rich
China is starting to study the origin of its newfound wealth, and the behavior of those who possess it. A recent report shows China’s wealth largely comes from real estate and manufacturing, with a surprisingly high percentage of the money now invested ab
About 130 of Dutch Rail’s new trains don’t have toilets. So what are passengers to do when nature calls? Call the company’s proposed solution what you wish — Travel John, Pee-in-a-bag, Urinal-in-a-box — not all are convinced that this is a mark
Analysis: after a turbulent weekend in Athens, all eyes turn to the new Greek government of national unity, charged with the Herculean task of fixing the country’s finances and maintaining social order.
Profit losses have forced Germany’s Beiersdorf to scale back. The company will stick with its classic core products – including its iconic Nivea hand cream – but plans to dump some of its more expensive items. Everything over 20 euros must go.
Analysis: Two elections decided Sunday in Central America produced winners – Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and Otto Pérez in Guatemala – who couldn’t be more different. But the victories both show how troubled the isthmus’ democratic institutions really are.
Exploiting the oil reserves in the Caspian Sea has proven more difficult then expected. But after more than a decade of preparation, the Kashagan project – hailed as the largest oil project in the world – is finally inching its way towards completion.
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie CALLING MOMTweeters in Saudi Arabia are launching a new campaign to break the taboo of a wife and a mother’s name being mentioned in public. Hashtag IsmOmi (Arabic for “my mother’s name”) calls on Saudis to mention their mother’s names. *Najla Fahad tweets: “My […]
Weißwurst, yodeling, glockenspiel: Berliners are suckers for all things Bavarian. And now they can drink and sway to their hearts delight in what is being dubbed the biggest beer hall in Europe. The 6,000 square-foot Hofbräu Berlin may be the biggest such
Essay: China’s state-run Red Cross has recently been a regular source of controversy. Now, some accuse it of forcing Chinese students to join – and pay. But assuming it fulfills its mission, the Chinese Red Cross is an organization well worth preserving.
During his life and work, the painter Paul Klee was surrounded by music and musicians. It follows that the unique rhythms and expressions in the artist’s work — and his intellectual musings — would eventually influence generations of composers
Rugby is nowhere close to unseating soccer as Brazil’s national sport. But marketers say there’s potential for growth. In neighboring Argentina, soccer is also king. But fans support their beloved Pumas, the national rugby team.
Marking its 15th anniversary, Al Jazeera is basking in recent praise for its pivotal coverage of the Arab Spring protests. But the still relatively young history of the Qatar-based satellite network is filled with contradiction, as well as innovation
Essay: More urgent than carbon footprint consciousness is one group’s online test to make us aware how many de facto enslaved workers are behind the electronics, food, clothing — and even medicines — that keep the rest of us fat and happy. You
In the small but wealthy town of Settala, near Milan, one community bank is spending extra time trying to calm a growing number of customers who worry that their savings are at risk in the face of Europe’s deepening economic crisis.
Economic growth and discretionary funds funneled from Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez have helped position Nicaragua leader Daniel Ortega as the frontrunner for Sunday’s presidential election. Critics say Ortega is defying term limits and building a corrupt
In a new German government report on families, experts suggest a greater public role in helping families better manage their time. The Minister of Families wants “family-friendly” regulations. Will this lead to more flexible working hour
Six would-be astronauts are confined for an unprecedented 17-month experiment in social confinement that is helping to lay the groundwork for extra long missions in space.
In Rio de Janeiro, militias – often involving corrupt police – have taken control of the notorious favelas and worked their way into local politics. Judge Patricia Acioli was one of the few people brave enough to go after them. She paid with her life.
Paraguay was infamous as a favorite hiding destination of Nazi fugitives after World War II. But the links to Nazism actually go much farther back — and live on: Hotel Del Lago, which was frequented by severable notable Nazi supporters before the war, is
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie SYRIAN DIPLOMACYSyria is expected to respond to an Arab League proposal to end the country’s crisis, Al Jazeera reported. The Syrian opposition maintains that the regime is stalling for time and has no intention of reforming — and called on the Arab League to […]
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Is There A Pedophilia Gene?
Italian researchers discover possible genetic origins of pedophilia, making the sexually deviant behavior a potentially treatable condition. But is it an alibi for convicted pedophiles?
The first gastarbeiter (guest workers) from Turkey came to Munich from Istanbul in 1961. Some of them took part in the recent 50th anniversary trip celebrating the bilateral recruitment agreement—and looked back to often painful memories.
Essay: After its first free election, Tunisia is not without its challenges. Still, the “post-revolution” situation there is already starkly more hopeful than in Egypt where the military continues to exert control in absence of a politic
Editorial: after its latest edition poked fun at the Muslim prophet, the offices of French satirical weekly ‘Charlie Hebdo’ was firebombed and its website hacked. Like ongoing fundamentalist Christian attacks on a local theater troop, the incident is a th