Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Thursday 30 August 2012

PIEGEL ONLINEINTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER 

Compiled on August 30, 2012, 06:42 PM CET

ROMNEY RUNNING MATE RYAN

More Dangerous than Sarah Palin

Four years ago, Sarah Palin energized the Republicans with her convention speech. This year, it is Paul Ryan who has found a common cause with the party's grassroots. His stark brand of conservatism is bad news for the socially weak.

THE WORLD FROM BERLIN

'Romney Message Too Closely Tailored to White Men'

Wither the Republicans? The party's national convention this week has revealed a GOP that seems unconcerned about alienating minority voters. Despite poor economic data, German commentators on Thursday argue that candidate Mitt Romney will have trouble getting elected as a result.

EURO CHARM OFFENSIVE

Merkel Acts to Polish Poor Image Abroad

Iron lady, leader of the Fourth Reich, lacking compassion: Chancellor Angela Merkel's image has suffered during the euro crisis. Suddenly, though, she is all smiles and full of praise for the efforts made by indebted euro-zone states. But will her charm offensive be enough to transform Germany's battered image in Europe?

ANTI-SEMITISM 

Attack on Rabbi in Berlin Draws Outrage

An attack on a rabbi walking with his young daughter through a leafy district of Berlin Tuesday has drawn quick condemnation from local officials and the Jewish community. The perpetrators remain at large.

CORN-MANIA

Biogas Boom in Germany Leads to Modern-Day Land Grab

Creating energy from corn once seemed like a revolutionary idea in Germany. But subsidies for the biogas industry have led to entire regions of the country being covered by the crop, and investors are eagerly waiting for local farmers' land to go for sale. Some of those farmers who lease their land say they have been "ruined."

SEA CHANGE

German Shipyards See Future in Wind Power

After years of decline, Germany's shipyards are now pinning their hopes on offshore wind farms, a key component of the country's energy revolution. Some have converted entirely to building equipment for wind farms. But the initial euphoria has worn off as the true challenges of the transition become clear.

ASSAULT ON GOOGLE NEWS

Berlin Cabinet Approves New Web Copyright Law

The government of Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to require Google and other aggregators to pay for reproducing content from news websites. Her cabinet on Wednesday agreed on a draft law that would impose a fee even for tiny snippets of text. Web activists are outraged.

GOLFER LAURA DAVIES ON WOMEN ON THE FAIRWAY

'There Were Few of Us Girls Back Then'

In an interview, British female golf legend Laura Davies discusses her professional career on the green, the age difference between the veteran golfer and her much younger competitors, her no nonsense approach to the sport and a major gender gap that still persists today.