We offer a range
of story pitches, from politics and society to arts, travel and business...
Politics
Politics - Germany
Tea,
anyone?
 Hungary,
Sweden, the Netherlands: Around Europe, rightwing populist parties
have made electoral gains with their anti-immigration platforms.
In Germany, a 2010 book exposed the fault lines in the right and
center. Since the nuclear crisis in Japan, conservative voters became
further disenchanted with their governing coalition and gave the
Greens signficant victories. Many now wonder if Germany is ripe
for its own Tea Party.
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this story
Italy
The
unsinkable
 Silvio
Berlusconi is the man at the center of ongoing sex scandals, allegations
of corruption and even a violent attack. Yet the colorful and widely
mocked Italian leader still remains surprisingly popular at home.
What is the secret of his success? And with multiple upcoming trials,
the question is, will it last?
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this story
EU-US
Transatlantic
blues
 After
more than two years in office, President
Obama has transformed the image of America among Europeans. But
disputes over such issues as climate change, the war in Afghanistan
and the handling of the financial crisis highlight how thorny the
transatlantic relationship remains.
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this story
European
Union
'Fortress
Europe'
 The
EU's policy of refugee resettlement was intended to stem the tide
of asylum seekers trying to reach Europe. But while the EU considers
more resources for the program, individual member states are taking
matters into their own hands.
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this story
Society
Morocco
 The
Berber broadcaster
First an alphabet and now a television channel: Berbers in Morocco
have fought for decades to get recognition of their once-banned
language and culture. These days, official recognition and even
a public television channel is marking a turning point in their
struggles.
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this story
Germany
Berlin:
Cleaning up
 Berlin
is considered the sanctuary for subculture in Europe but the German
capital's development initiatives are threatening that honorary
designation. City officials have turned to costly building projects
to clean up neighborhoods, sparking local protests.
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this story
Czech
Republic
The
new Amsterdam
 The
Czech Republic once defined illegal drug possession as "more than
a small amount" and the courts got to make that call. Now, savvy
consumers don't leave home with more than one gram of cocaine or
four tablets of ecstasy - while the new leniancy has led to a boom
in drug tourism.
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this story
Business
Switzerland
Questioning
the secrecy
 Swiss
banking secrecy came under yet another attack after Germany again
bought stolen bank data to catch tax evaders earlier this year.
Now the Swiss are wondering if their treasured tradition of financial
secrecy is worth it after all.
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this story
Britain
The
lucrative loophole
 In
England, thousands of people have lost their life savings to rogue
stockbrokers in scams known as "boiler room" deals. Yet
the lack of European-wide coordination allows such scams to continue
out of the reach of prosecutors.
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this story
Germany
Big
top bankruptcies
 Germans
have always been fond of their circuses but now scores of them are
struggling to survive the economic downturn. From smaller companies
to large established ones, the big tops are failing to fill seats,
leaving many of them on the verge of bankruptcy.
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this story
Science & tech/environment
Sweden
Green
solutions
 Whether
it’s snow-based cooling systems or mini-rainforests in the office
to purify the air, Mid-Sweden is the world’s leader this year
in innovative green technologies: It has repeatedly topped the I-40
list of Green-friendly regions.
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this story
Energy
The
smart grid revolution
 Smart
grids are changing the face of energy sectors in many industrialized
nations by revolutionizing electricity networks through intelligent
IT systems. This trend is also challenging the highly profitable
traditional business model of big energy suppliers by opening up
the market to smaller players.
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this story
The seas
 Saving
the Baltic
The
heavily trafficked brackish Baltic is one of the most polluted seas
in the world. Officials from the countries which border the sea,
home to about 90 million people, are becoming increasingly worried
and have started an urgent push for solutions.
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this story |
Profiles
& Interviews
Serge
Lutens
The
nose behind the scent
 He
is one of the preeminent perfumers in the world. After
working for Shiseido, Lutens launched his own brand,
recognized internationally as one of the most refined
perfumes on the planet. He recently invented an Eau
de Cologne for men that is odorless. Meanwhile, the
man remains an enigma, the silent master of the art.
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this story
Boyko
Borisov
The
colorful leader
 The
prime minister of Bulgaria cuts a colorful and sometimes
vulgar figure. A black belt and former bodyguard to
the Bulgarian king, Borisov is beloved for his no-nonsense
manner and plain-speaking, an unusual approach in a
country known for its underhanded politics and high-level
corruption.
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this story
Marco
Travaglio
The
charismatic muckracker
 He
is probably the most outspoken opponent of Silvio Berlusconi:
an investigative journalist and host of a leading TV
program, a bestselling author and the founder of the
successful Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper. But
none of that captures Travaglio's charisma: His is a
compelling story that highlights the nature of power
and influence in Italy.
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this story
Arts
& Leisure
Germany
Come
home, Nefertiti
 Art
lovers and history buffs flock to museums in Europe
filled with artifacts from the ancient world - particularly
those of ancient Egypt. However, viewing such treasures
may become more difficult: Egypt has launched a bitter
battle to reclaim them.
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this story
Germany
 Prost,
Hundertwasser!
Austrian
artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed whimsical
residential buildings, outlandish train stations and
colorful post offices. One of his last designs has been
unveiled in small-town Bavaria: a brewery.
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this story
Amman
From sleepy to sexy
 It
is often thought of as the sleepy capital of a small,
Muslim kingdom: Most eschew Amman as a party destination
for racy Beirut, the ‘sin city’ of the Arab world.
But that is changing as discos, cafes and chic restaurants
sprout up across the Jordanian capital.
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this story
Kenya
A
little yoga with that safari?
 Looking
for sun and a little decompression in the dark cold
winter months of more northern climates? Longing for
something more interesting than a beach resort? Your
correspondent, a novice to yoga and safaris, decided
to try out a little of both in East Africa.
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this story
Norway
Ice
trekking into the midnight sun
 The
Svalbard archipelago is one of the most accessible regions
of the High Arctic and its vast landscapes are spectacular.
One of the more adventurous ways to explore it is on
a 10-day glacier trekking expedition.
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this story
Special reports
'Arab Spring'
What
next?
 A
month of protests led to the world's first popular coup
in a region that never sees people's revolts. Two long-serving
dictators fled as revolts continue in Libya, Yemen and
Syria. The world is watching how Tunisia and Egypt handle
the aftermath of their revolutions.
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this story
Zarqa,
Jordan
The
terror factory
 The
Jordanian city of Zarqa has given the world three of
its most notorious terrorists in recent years. This
dense, dirty city of one million people has also produced
countless jihadis and suicide bombers who have been
active in Iraq and Afghanistan. We tell you why.
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this story
Former
Yugoslavia
A
Balkans report card
 More than three decades after Tito's death and 15 years
after the massacre at Srbrenica, when the West intervened,
the Balkan countries are moving forward together while
taking steps toward European integration.
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this story |
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