In The News

CNN: "Kill Them All" – Russian-Linked Facebook Accounts Called for Violence

Curt Devine October 31, 2017
Representatives of social media companies are testifying to US Congress about Russian meddling in the US election through fake accounts and provocative posts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. Prior to the hearing, Facebook admitted that more than 100 million Americans may have viewed Russian-made posts. At least 25 messages from a small number of accounts called for violence against...

BBC: Catalans Declare Independence as Madrid Imposes Direct Rule

October 27, 2017
Catalan voters chose to seek independence from Spain in a special referendum and the Catalan regional parliament soon followed suit with 70 members in favor, 10 opposed, two abstained and more than 50 members not indicating a position. The Spanish Constitutional Court is expected to rule the regional parliament’s decision as illegal. Spain has responded by approving direct rule over the region,...

Deutsche Welle: Climate Change Sets the World on Fire

October 18, 2017
Fast-moving wildfires are striking densely populated communities throughout the Americas and Europe, resulting in mass evacuations, with dozens of deaths, thousands of homes destroyed, mass evacuations and disrupted businesses. “With global temperatures rising, scientists say wildfires are likely to become increasingly frequent and widespread,” reports Deutsche Welle. “Even Greenland, not known...

El País: Independence in Catalonia – Now What?

David Alandete October 12, 2017
The Catalan regional premier relied on results of a referendum to declare and then quickly suspend independence for Catalonia. The declaration has been “received by an unshakeable rejection on the part of the opposition in Catalonia, all of the parties in Spain – whether on the left or the right – and the entire European Union,” explains David Alandete for El País. Opponents of independence held...

Al Jazeera: Catalonia Independence Referendum

David Child and Charlotte Mitchell September 28, 2017
Voters in Catalonia have scheduled a referendum to decide if they want to break from Spain and become an independent republic. The region of 7.5 million people accounts for 15 percent of Spain’s population and 20 percent of economic output, report David Child and Charlotte Mitchell for Al Jazeera. “The region, which forms one of Spain's 17 ‘autonomous communities,’ has its own police force...

Reuters: Merkel Tries to Build Coalition After Vote That Puts Far Right in Parliament

Caroline Copley and Emma Thomasson September 25, 2017
Angela Merkel won a fourth term as Germany’s chancellor and reports she will keep an open mind in forming a coalition government. “Damaged by her decision two years ago to allow more than one million migrants into Germany, Merkel’s conservative bloc secured 33 percent of the vote, losing 8.5 points,” report Caroline Copley and Emma Thomasson. “Her coalition partners, the center-left Social...

El País: How Germany Is Leading Europe’s Organic Food Revolution

Laura Delle Femmine September 19, 2017
Some consumers take food for granted while others demand the utmost in safety and taste. Consumers in the latter group, joined by those who want to protect the environment, seek out organic products produced without chemical fertilizers, additives, antibiotics, pesticides and other unnatural treatments. The United States is the world’s leading organic market followed by Germany. Europe has had...