| SPIEGEL ONLINE | INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER |
| Compiled on September 07, 2012, 06:49 PM CET |
|
From Plutonium to Power
Russia To Produce Electricity with Former Nukes Russia is planning to destroy plutonium used in thousands of soon to be decommissioned nuclear warheads by using it as fuel in a special new atomic power plant. The reactor is set to begin operating in one year, but time pressures and a vulnerable cooling system make the project a risky one. |
|
The World from Berlin
'The ECB Is Doing Governments' Dirty Work' The ECB's announcement on Thursday that it is prepared to make unlimited bond purchases in order to lower borrowing costs for countries in crisis could mark a turning point in the euro crisis. German commentators, however, criticize the bank for becoming a hostage to politics. |
|
No Limits
ECB President Draghi Reaches for the Bazooka European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has taken a bold step this week to contain the euro crisis. The ECB is now planning unlimited bond purchases in order to prevent an escalation of the euro's woes. The step marks a fundamental shift in efforts to save the common currency -- and comes with plenty of risks. |
|
Obama's Convention Speech
The Preacher Turns Pragmatist Times have changed. In the speech he delivered at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, US President Barack Obama replaced lofty rhetoric with sober, hard-nosed pragmatism. He said Americans have a choice between two futures for their country. Will that message be enough to help him beat Romney? |
|
Photographer Fatigue
The Absurd Quest for Euro Crisis Images The Greeks aren't the only ones sick of the euro crisis. Photographers are reaching the end of their tether too, struggling to shoot images of euro coins in various states of distress to illustrate the story. Though some of the photos are absurd, they still get published -- because news outlets are equally desperate. |
|
Cabin Crew Dispute
Strike Grounds Half of Lufthansa's Flights The latest in a series of cabin crew strikes forced German flagship airline Lufthansa to cancel about half of its flights on Friday, marking a "dark day" for customers, a spokesman said. But the bitter labor dispute may be resolved soon, with both the union and the airline signaling they are ready to resume talks. |
|
Gender Gap
Desperately Seeking Male Child Care Workers Germany is spending loads of money to recruit male child care workers, launching expensive employment campaigns to attract more men into the profession. Many parents want their children to be educated by both men and women, but low wages mean efforts have met with little success so far. |
|
Mass Protests
Group Pushes for Limit on Oktoberfest Beer Price Anyone who has ever been to Munich's Oktoberfest probably can't remember what they paid for beer. But one German association has had enough of paying through the nose for booze. Now it is gathering signatures to launch a referendum on the maximum price of beer at the famous Bavarian festival. |
|
Flexible Fossils
A New Role for Coal in German Energy Revolution One of the biggest challenges of Germany's ambitious energy revolution is the fact that renewables such as wind and solar are subject to large fluctuations in output. Coal has long been considered their dirty alternative, but a new generation of power plants may herald a glowing future for the fossil fuel. |
|
'Madonna under the Fir Tree'
The Odyssey of a Stolen Cranach Painting Decades after it went missing, the famous "Madonna under the Fir Tree" painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder has reappeared under mysterious circumstances and been returned to its home in Poland. But can anyone be sure it isn't just a better fake? |
|
Picture This
A Head for Numbers |
