In The News

Sochi Olympics Played Differently to Different Audiences

Liz Clarke February 24, 2014
As host of the Sochi Winter Olympics, Russia was on display. For the home audience, the games were a huge success in terms of infrastructure investment, dazzling athletic displays and details in showmanship that reflected national pride. Western media introduced global audiences to Russia with negative reports about extremism over Chechnya, warm weather that led to poor track and slope conditions...

Ukraine President and Opponents Sign Deal in Bid to End Violence

Nate Rawlings February 21, 2014
After months of protests and a week of violent clashes that left more than 75 dead and threats of sanctions from the West, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders have signed a deal, brokered by Europe, that includes early but not yet scheduled elections and a new national unity government. “Ukraine has been at the center of a geopolitical struggle between Russia and the E.U...

Linking to Free Web Content Is Legal, Says EU Court

February 17, 2014
Free online content can be freely linked by others and does not violate copyright law, so rules the European Court of Justice. A Swedish court requested the ruling after disputes between journalists and a web company that posted links to online news articles, reports BBC News. “The journalists argued in the original case that users of Retriever Sverige's website would not know that they had...

Tennessee Legislators Threaten to Withhold Incentives if VW workers Choose Union

Brent Snavely February 12, 2014
German manufacturers are accustomed to working with unions and workers councils which offer input on efficiency, safety and innovation for workplace procedures. Politicians typically welcome foreign direct investment and new management styles of major international firms, and Volkswagen, a German firm, is considering expanding an auto plant in Tennessee or Mexico. But conservative Republican...

Why the Ukraine Crisis Should Be a Concern, As We Mark the Centenary of WWI

Ailish O'Hora January 31, 2014
Protesters have turned out in Kiev, opposed to their president moving toward alignment with Russia. Ukraine, a former Soviet state is deeply divided over its political future, and remains a major concern for Europe. Of course, there are economic reasons – much of the gas supplied by Russia to Europe traveling through the country. But Ukraine also represents strong political divisions lingering...

Incredible Edible Todmorden

Julian Dobson January 23, 2014
Todmorden in Yorkshire, England, has taken community gardening to a new level. Every patch of once unused land and space in the town of about 15,000 is now used for vegetable gardens, with crops available for the picking by passersby; schools teach horticulture; families share recipes and meals. It’s “the beginning of a survival strategy for towns and neighbourhoods in the 21st century,” writes...

Sharing NHS Data Saves Lives

Jeremy Farrar January 15, 2014
Governments increasingly promote digital health records to ensure better tracking of individual patients and public health trends. A dilemma has emerged about who controls such data: Some argue that healthcare funded by taxpayers should be subject to review; others focus on patient privacy. Writing for the Telegraph, physician Jeremy Farrar explains how children are rarely used in randomized...