In The News

EU Must Open Doors to Avoid Syrian Refugee Catastrophe, Says UN

Martin Chulov, Harriet Grant January 14, 2014
The United Nations is calling on Europe to accept more refugees from Syria’s civil war. More than 2 million refugees live in temporary camps with substandard conditions in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, and more are displaced inside the country or live outside without aid or registration. Relocation for the most vulnerable refugees is only a temporary solution. “The UK government has refused...

Will TTIP Harm the Global Trading System?

Katinka Barysch and Michael Heise January 9, 2014
The European Union’s member states form the world’s largest economy followed by the United States. So, the rest of the world is wary about ongoing negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP. Other trading partners of the US and the EU may have to meet new regulations without having a voice in their making. Or in other areas, the partners may have to deal with two...

Putin’s Gas-Fueled Bailout of Ukraine

David R. Cameron January 2, 2014
Ukraine’s government has decided to link its fortunes to Russia, accepting a bailout worth billions after the European Union and the International Monetary Fund offered mere millions combined with tough conditions. Russia will settle a disputed gas bill, reduce the price of future gas deliveries, end some customs controls and import quotas recently imposed and provide financial assistance in...

Bulgarians and Romanians Free to Work in UK as Controls End

Mark Lowen January 2, 2014
The single market of the European Union is designed to allow most goods, services, money and people to cross borders of member nations. Mechanisms allow gradual introductions, even delays, for transition. Some in the United Kingdom express concern about Bulgarian and Romanian citizens relocating to the United Kingdom after controls in place since 2007 expired, reports Mark Lowen for BBC News. “...

The Great War’s Ominous Echoes

Margaret MacMillan December 30, 2013
More than 10 million soldiers and many civilians died in the First World War, 1914-1918. An assassination, incidental in the century’s overall history, triggered the massive war spurred by national rivalries and reckless arms race. “The approaching centenary should make us reflect anew on our vulnerability to human error, sudden catastrophes, and sheer accident,” writes author Margaret MacMillan...

UK Government Paves Way for Driverless Cars

December 26, 2013
Government oversight and vision are essential for radical new technologies – and the United Kingdom is determined to lead on driverless vehicles. “The government has announced that it wants to make the UK a world centre for the development of driverless cars,” reports BBC News. “Many envisage a future when we may not own cars at all but simply hail one to fulfil all our transportation needs.” The...

Unpredictable Pope Challenges Journalists

Fiona Ehlers December 20, 2013
The world has more than 1.2 billion Catholics, and Radio Vatican translates the sermons and every other comment of Pope Francis into 44 languages. The pope adds to translation challenges with “free, spontaneous speech,” audience exchanges, opinions and jokes, reports Fiona Ehlers for Spiegel Online. One priest described the pope’s style as “down-to-earth” and noted, “’Sometimes it really makes us...