News

With the Israeli-Hamas crisis waning on, Israeli Foreign Minister Liberman told the German Bild “Germany and the EU must dispatch inspectors to Gaza to monitor trade with the neighboring countries” (Agence France Presse, August 7, 2014). Mr. Liberman noted that the inspectors should not be “police or soldiers” and that “Germany… take a leading role” – all to the agreement of Germany and France (ibid.).

Typhoon Halong “lashed Japan on Saturday as the country headed into a holiday week, causing the authorities to order the evacuation of a half-million people living near swollen rivers and canceling hundreds of flights” (Associated Press, August 9, 2014). By Monday, over 1.6 million people were told to evacuate and at least ten were dead.

After a month of fighting, a cease-fire has been declared and negotiating has begun in Egypt between Israel and Hamas (MSN.com, August 5, 2014).

“In the rankings of the globe’s most prosperous countries, this economic powerhouse of 82 million has now leapfrogged Canada, Britain, Italy and Spain to become the largest destination for immigrants after the United States… Because of a morbidly low birthrate, the population here is shrinking, raising the pivotal question of who will keep the massive German economy humming in the years ahead” (Washington Post

The marriage of convenience between France and Germany to lead the EU and Europe appears to be over.  “With Britain drifting away and France on the floor, Germany, however unwilling, is forced to take up the leading role across the board” (The Times, July 6, 2014). Martin Shultz, a German politician and advocate of closer cooperation among European nations, is currently serving his second term as President of the European Parliament.