| SPIEGEL ONLINE | INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER |
| Compiled on February 21, 2012, 06:23 PM CET |
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Letter from Berlin
Presidential Battle Leaves Merkel Goverment Teetering Last week, Germany lost a president. Over the weekend, the country almost lost its government as well. The choice to nominate Joachim Gauck as the country's next head of state exposed significant differences within Chancellor Merkel's governing coalition and left behind deep scars in Berlin. |
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The World from Berlin
'The FDP Awakens from Its Coma' The decision to select Joachim Gauck as the official candidate to become German president on Sunday only happened after a major dispute between Philipp Rösler, the head of the Free Democratic Party, and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Rösler won the battle, but the fallout is expected to be major in the coalition government, German editorialists argue. |
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Warning from Former Extremist
Neo-Nazi Terrorist Threat Remains Real As Germany prepares to commemorate the 10 victims of the killing spree committed by the NSU neo-Nazi group, a former extremist has warned that more potential terrorists are lurking in the far-right scene, which he claims is well-organized and ready to resort to bombing attacks in its goal of creating a "Fourth Reich". |
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A Political Establishment in Freefall
Greece Lurches to Left Amid Radical Austerity A radical austerity drive has triggered the biggest political upheaval in Athens since the end of the military dictatorship in 1974. So far, it is leftist parties who have benefitted the most from the debt crisis. The deeply divided left, however, would likely be unable to form a stable coalition. |
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Default Averted
Euro Zone Agrees on 130-Billion-Euro Bailout for Greece Following marathon talks in Brussels, euro-zone finance ministers have agreed upon a second rescue package for Greece, worth 130 billion euros. The deal saves Athens from having to default in March. As part of the agreement, the private sector will take a 53.5 percent haircut on its holdings of Greek debt. |
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A Palestinian Take on the Mideast Conflict
'The Pursuit of a Two-State Solution Is a Fantasy' Prominent Palestinian philosopher Sari Nusseibeh believes it is too late for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. In a SPIEGEL interview, he outlines his vision for an Israeli-Palestinian confederation and why he mistrusts the new moderate stance taken by the Islamic militant group Hamas. |
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Averting the Next Greece
Portugal Needs More Money To Stay Afloat With its massive austerity measures, Portugal has become the poster child of the troika of the EU, ECB and IMF. But the country is still stuck in a deep recession and it is unclear how it will return to growth. It may need to rely on European loans for years to come. |
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Serbian Thaw
Melting Danube Ice Creates Chaos in Belgrade The Arctic cold front was long and hard. Yet now that temperatures are warming up across Europe, melting snow and ice are causing chaos as well. Hundreds of boats and barges on the Danube have been crushed by huge chunks of ice and officials are concerned about flooding. |
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A Village of Millionaires
Lottery Win Leaves Spanish Region Grappling with Its Future Residents of Spain's Huesca Province recently won 700 million euros ($910 million) in the country's Christmas lottery. The money could bring a brighter future to the rural village of Sodeto, which has been shrinking for years. The region's fate will depend on what its newfound millionaires do with their money. |
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Picture This
Baboon Bandits |
