In The News

Central Bank Prophet Fears QE Warfare Pushing World Financial System Out of Control

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard January 23, 2015
To escape lingering economic malaise, the European Central Bank announced plans to engage in stimulus spending by printing euros to purchase an array of bonds – €60 billion each month at least through September 2016 for a total of at least €1 trillion. The proposal was double what analysts had expected. The rescue comes late amid currency wars and efforts by other central banks to keep bank...

Charlie Hebdo Attack Spurs EU Anti-Terror Projects

January 20, 2015
The European Union seeks to partner with Muslim-majority nations on security and boost their Arabic language skills after the attacks in Paris. The plans – in response to attacks on newspaper offices and a Kosher grocery, both in Paris, leaving 17 dead – were announced after talks by 28 EU foreign ministers. Protest rallies condemning Charlie Hebdo cartoons were held in Chechnya, Palestine and...

Charlie Hebdo Attacks Stir Resolve and Contemplation

Stathis N. Kalyvas January 15, 2015
Terrorists hope to incite fear, panic and capitulation, but so far Europe is resisting such response after surprise attacks on the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, and a Kosher grocery store. “And because they are so shocking, these attacks tempt those targeted into reacting in a kneejerk way, ultimately playing into the hands of the attackers and becoming self-fulfilling...

Je Suis Charlie: Stand Together in the Face of Violence

Stefan Kuzmany January 9, 2015
The offices of Charlie Hebdo were attacked by three men with assault rifles, leaving 12 dead, including staff members and two police officers, one of those a Muslim. The suspects include two extremists, brothers raised in France as orphans. A horrific act by a few does not mean that provocative art practiced by publications like Charlie Hebdo is stupid or wrong, that Muslims are evil, as some...

What Is Behind Europe's Rising Islamophobia?

Alexander Görlach January 7, 2015
Europe has long been viewed as a beacon for human rights, though a few extremists – whether Islamophobes or jihadists – seem intent on wrecking that reputation. European nations are seeing a surge in nationalism and extremism, against a backdrop of arson attacks on mosques and a chilling terrorist attack today on a satirical newspaper in France leaving 12 people dead. Alexander Görlach writes...

Grexit Grumblings: Germany Open to Possible Greek Eurozone Exit

Nikolaus Blome, Giorgos Christides, Christian Reiermann and Gregor Peter Schmitz January 6, 2015
The eurozone has economies in flux. Lithuania celebrates entry while Greece ponders an exit. Greeks vote in parliamentary elections on January 25 and many resent austerity measures imposed by Germany and other neighbors, explains an article in Spiegel Online: “the North-South conflict's focus is the German-designed austerity and reform program that all crisis countries have had to adopt in...

A Football Stadium Covered in This Solar Cloth Could Power a Small Town

Megan Gambino January 2, 2015
Flexible, lightweight fabric could extend the possibilities for solar power and fit in places not practical for large panels. While the idea is not new, one startup has covered a 12-space parking lot with fabric containing photovoltaics that generate 15 kilowatts per hour, reports Megan Gambino for Smithsonian Magazine. A company goal is for solar technology not to compete for productive farmland...