| SPIEGEL ONLINE | INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER |
| Compiled on February 20, 2013, 06:46 PM CET |
| SPAIN AND ITALY The Euro Crisis Gnaws at Europe's Underbelly The euro crisis may have dropped out of the headlines recently, but Spain and Italy would seem to be doing their best to bring it back. Real estate giant Reyal Urbis' bankrupcy has raised fresh concerns about Spanish banks and many fear that a Berlusconi election victory could drive Rome to seek emergency aid. |
| BERLUSCONI'S FAITHFUL 'Only Silvio Can Save Italy' Comparisons to Jesus, professions of love: Supporters of Silvio Berlusconi are rabidly faithful. As the campaign winds down ahead of elections in Italy, the rhetoric has heated up. For those who deify "Il Cavaliere," the Germans are to blame for their country's woes. |
| MANIPULATING PUSSY RIOT Letters Show Division in Punk Group Three women from the Russian punk bank Pussy Riot secretly wrote each other letters while in pretrial detention. The letters show how state power was used to manipulate the trial and divide the punk band. And President Putin? He benefited from the scandal and tightened his grip on power. |
| LAST SHIFT IN THE SHAFT Coal Companies Refuse to Pay Mining Victims After two centuries of coal mining in Germany companies are pulling out of the industrial Ruhr region, leaving millions of dollars worth of damage in their wake. Though companies used to compensate the victims of mining operations, some are now resorting to dubious tactics to escape responsibility. |
| THE WORLD FROM BERLIN Gay Adoption Ruling A Wake-Up Call for Merkel Germany's top court on Tuesday ruled gay people should be allowed to adopt a child already adopted by their partner. The decision won't affect many people, but it's a signal that Berlin must do more to boost the legal rights of gay couples. Media commentators say it's high time that Chancellor Angela Merkel's government accepted the realities of modern society. |
| ANOTHER AUSTERITY VICTIM Bulgarian Government Resigns Amid Protests Europe's debt crisis claimed its latest victim on Wednesday when the Bulgarian government stepped down after days of violent nationwide protests against austerity measures, high energy costs and corruption. |
| GIVING PLEDGE SAP Founder Joins Club of Billionaire Donors Hasso Plattner, the co-founder of global software giant SAP, has joined an exclusive club of philanthropists that includes Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. He has pledged to donate half of his almost 6 billion euros in wealth to the public good. |
| PICTURE THIS Cleaning Up |
