Politics
Politics - Germany Precarious power Germany's conservative coalition escaped further embarrassment after its candidate for president narrowly won office. Still, Chancellor Angela Merkel remains in a tight spot as her government pushes through a massive austerity package amid plummeting popularity ratings and growing concern over a double-dip recession in Europe's largest economy. Find out more - Assign this story
Politics - Spain Down with the bulls Bullfighting in Barcelona is history because of political friction and a culture clash between Catalonia and Spain. A petition to change Catalonia's animal cruelty law has forced the region's parliament to take on banning the "sport" in the autonomous Spanish state: The motion, which calls for a repeal of the exclusion of bullfighting from animal protection laws, passed in a move that many say is more about Catalonian independence than the bulls and animal cruelty. Find out more - Assign this story
Morocco Going dry? A political battle is brewing in Morocco over a long-standing law that bans the sale of alcohol to Muslims. The decree may have been on the books for nearly half a century but has rarely been enforced. But now, Fes wants to become the country's first city to enforce the ban and has sparked a national debate over the country's image and identity. Find out more - Assign this story
Italy The unsinkable Silvio Berlusconi is the man at the center of ongoing sex scandals, allegations of corruption and a violent attack in December that opponents accuse him of orchestrating to win public sympathy. Yet the colorful and widely mocked Italian leader remains surprisingly popular at home. What is the secret of his success? Find out more - Assign this story
EU-US Transatlantic blues After more than a year in office, President Obama has transformed the image of America among previously disenchanted Europeans. But disputes over such difficult issues as climate change, the war in Afghanistan and the handling of the financial crisis highlight how thorny the transatlantic relationship remains. Find out more - Assign 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. Find out more - Assign this story
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Offbeat Berlin: The top 10 quirkiest things to do in the German capital Tired of people telling you to go to Museum Island? We recommend 10 eccentric activities the guidebooks won't tell you about. Read more
‘We have to be awake’ Twenty years after he led the Velvet Revolution, Václav Havel, a playwright and dissident who became free Czechoslovakia's first president, sat down with Michael Levitin to discuss fear of Russia, the importance of NATO, and why some of his countrymen still feel nostalgic for the communist era. Read more
The children's choo choo In a forest just outside of Berlin, young Germans run a relic of the former East Germany which has barely changed since the fall of the Berlin Wall two decades ago. Read more
A gull-wing socialist Four decades ago, Heinz Melkus built East Germany's only sports car. Now his son and grandson are carrying on the tradition -- of what may be the strangest car of its kind. Read more
Berlin's clandestine legacy At the height of the Cold War, divided Berlin was a capital of espionage, overrun with more than 8,000 spies, full of secret plots and counter-plots. We check out the remnants of this furtive history that still mark the city. Read more
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