| SPIEGEL ONLINE | INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER |
| Compiled on May 22, 2012, 06:59 PM CET |
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Sect or Mainstream Movement?
The Two Faces of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood The Muslim Brotherhood is the strongest political force in Egypt, which is holding presidential elections this week, yet opinions are divided over the nature of the movement and what it really wants. A visit to Ismailia, the small city on the Suez Canal where the movement began, provides an insight into the Islamists' goals. |
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Isolated at Home and Abroad
Merkel Loses Her Triple-A Popularity Rating The situation has seldom been this serious for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The leader is increasingly isolated in Europe because of her rigid austerity policies, while at home, criticism is growing of her decision to fire her environment minister last week. Her new toughness could backfire by making her look unsympathetic to voters, say analysts. |
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France's Next Challenge
Parliamentary Election Will Determine Hollande's Power The new French president, François Hollande, is already making headlines with his calls for measures to promote growth. But he won't have any real power unless the Socialists win the parliamentary election in June. If they don't, the result will be political deadlock -- a development that France and Europe can barely afford. |
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Helpless in Kharkiv
German Doctors Caught In Tymoshenko Battle German doctors have hardly begun their treatment of the jailed Ukrainian politician Yulia Tymoshenko, and yet they already seem to have failed. The confusing situation at the hospital, complicated by mixed messages from the government and invasive security, has proven to be wildly frustrating. |
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Visit to Germany
Tsipras Says Berlin Must Back Down on Austerity Charismatic, eloquent and defiant, the leader of Greece's Radical Left party, Alexis Tsipras, visited Berlin on Tuesday to ram home the message that he will scrap austerity if he wins the June election, and that no one, not even mighty Germany, has the right to evict Greece from the currency. |
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Sarrazin Strikes Again
German Author Says Berlin Is Hostage to Holocaust in Euro Crisis Germany is Europe's paymaster because it committed the Holocaust, claims a new book by Thilo Sarrazin, a firebrand author and former board member of the German central bank. The claim by the controversial writer achieved the desired effect of stoking publicity for Tuesday's launch of 'Europe Doesn't Need the Euro.' |
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Azerbaijan's Eurovision Hopeful
Singer Sees Contest as Chance To 'Open Our Hearts to Europe' Azerbaijan's Eurovision hopeful believes the world's largest non-sports TV event is an opportunity to "open our hearts to Europe." But Sabina Babayeva seems baffled by the idea that some Europeans believe that they should neither visit nor support a country with an oppressive regime like that of the Aliyevs in Baku. |
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The World From Berlin
'The People Have Grown Weary of War' NATO has announced concrete plans for withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, a decision that leaders called both "irreversible" and "responsible." But German commentators on Tuesday aren't convinced. They question whether Afghan forces can maintain control. |
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Picture This
Brain Box |
