In The News

Brexit and Europe's 23 May Elections: Guardian

Timothy Garton Ash April 19, 2019
Almost three years have passed since UK voters decided by a close margin to end their country’s membership in the European Union. With so much more known about Brexit consequences, opponents have unsuccessfully pressed political leaders to allow a second referendum. Still, voters have an opportunity to express their wishes through the EU parliamentary elections on 23 May. “So there is now one...

Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral: New York Times

Sona Patel and Alan Yuhas April 16, 2019
A fire destroyed the roof of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, causing the spire to collapse, and the New York Times reports “an outpouring of grief in France and around the world as the symbol of French culture and history burned.” The cathedral had been been under construction. Citizens and tourists watched from around the city, and people around the world watched the footage on social media and...

Germany’s AfD and Moscow: Spiegel

April 15, 2019
Governments and researchers try to figure out the appeal of far-right populism and extreme views that resist compromise and cooperation, immigration, education, climate change mitigation and more. It turns out, for Germany, Russia is behind propaganda that has made Alternative for Germany the biggest opposition party in Germanany's Bundestag. Russia's goal: to fracture and weaken the...

Assange Arrested: Reuters

Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton and Costas Pitas April 12, 2019
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London seven years ago after Sweden issued an arrest warrant for a rape charge. British police arrested him after Ecuador ended asylum; a judge convicted him on skipping bail. “Just hours later, U.S. prosecutors charged Assange with conspiracy in trying to access a classified U.S. government computer with former U.S....

Brexit Wreckers: New Statesman

Stephen Bush April 5, 2019
The United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and the complex political and economic structures have integrated and grown together since. The UK’s exit from the European Union is no easy task, with polarization and no clear majority on how to proceed. The best approach for all involved is a unified one that transcends usual politics. Prime Minister Theresa May has “...

Germany’s NATO Spending: Spiegel

Matthias Gebauer, Konstantin von Hammerstein, Christiane Hoffmann and Marcel Rosenbach April 3, 2019
Even the strongest organizations have disagreements over dues and approaches to problems, and this is true of NATO. NATO expects members to contribute 2 percent of GDP for NATO, but Europe’s economies are struggling. Germany spends less than 1.5 percent, attributed to lingering resistance to militarism that contributed to World War II. Meanwhile, members like Turkey and Italy drift in closer ties...

MPs Fail to Back Brexit Proposals: BBC

April 1, 2019
The United Kingdom still cannot decide on how they should end and replace membership in the European Union. The original deadline passed on March 29, and the European Union provided a brief extension. The concern is that the United Kingdom will leave without a deal, causing economic chaos. “The Commons voted on four motions for leaving the EU, including a customs union and a Norway-style...