January 9, 2007: One year ago the natural gas dispute between Russian energy giant Gazprom and the Ukraine interrupted supplies to Europe. The start of 2007 brings a repeat performance, this time involving Gazprom, Belarus and the supply of oil to the European Union. Read more »
January 23, 2007: For years comedians and satirists around the world have poked fun at German dictator Adolf Hitler. But what about the Germans? Are they allowed to laugh at Hitler, too? A new movie raises some eyebrows in Germany – not only in the Jewish community. Read more »
February 13, 2007: The price 
of oil on world markets has dropped by about 20 percent in the last eight months, bringing the price of gas in the U.S. down to more comfortable levels. How long will lower gas prices last? [MP3] »
February 19, 2007: For years Germany’s Mardi Gras Monday ["Rosenmontag"] float designers have used the occasion to poke fun at German and international politicians and the world scene. Today’s Rosenmontag parade in Düsseldorf was no exception. Read more »
March 8, 2007: The EU summit meeting beginning today in Brussels is an opportunity for German chancellor Angela Merkel to present her ideas for the EU constitution. Earlier this week, Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt talked about a "two-speed" Europe. Read more »
March 15, 2007: At a summer solstice party near Magdeburg, Germany in June 2006, a young man tossed Anne Frank’s diary into a bonfire. As he did so, he reportedly said, "It’s all a lie anyway." Does this prove Nazism is on the rise in Germany? [MP3] »
March 26, 2007: After a long and bloody history, Europe has made amazing strides in the last 50 years via the European Union. But now the EU is at a crossroads. Where will it go from here, and what will the EU’s choices mean for the future of the rest of the world? Read more »
April 30, 2007: The growing Muslim minority in German is already having an impact on marketing. A bizarre decision in a Frankfurt divorce case also shows subtle Islamic influence. A German judge used the Koran as justification to deny a motion involving wife bashing. Read more »
May 13, 2007: When Cardinal Josef Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, people wondered what the hallmark of his papacy would be. A little more than 2 years later, one answer appears to be that Benedict has put his church on edge. In what way is the Catholic church edgy? [MP3] »
May 31, 2007: One of the liveliest debates in recent years in German domestic politics is the ongoing discussion on expanding the capacity of daycare centers. The goal is to provide parents a choice in their family planning. However, what is best for the children? [MP3] »
June 11, 2007: Unlike his predecessor, newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy does not want the French people to decide on EU membership for Turkey via a national referendum. Sarkozy himself is opposed to Turkish EU membership and plans to do something about it. Read more »
June 20, 2007: The EU summit meeting that ended early Saturday morning in Brussels took a familiar course: an all-night negotiating session to dislodge one member country from an uncompromising position. Angela Merkel puts Europe back on track toward a new structure. Read more »
June 24, 2007: The EU summit meeting that ended early Saturday morning in Brussels took a familiar course: an all-night negotiating session to dislodge one member country from an uncompromising position. Angela Merkel puts Europe back on track toward a new structure. Read more »
June 28, 2007: After last week’s EU summit in Brussels there was widespread criticism among EU members of the negotiating tactics used by the Polish government. Since the Kaczinsky brothers have been in office, German-Polish relations have also suffered. Read more »
July 11, 2007: The head of Germany’s Lutheran church, Wolfgang Huber, reacted testily to yesterday’s Vatican paper identifying the Roman Catholic Church as the only real church. Why are Lutherans and other Protestants upset? They already accept Catholic authority! [MP3] »
July 21, 2007: On July 20 Germans are reminded of the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler’s life in 1944. This year’s ceremonies competed with a movie being produced about the assassination. The main character is a Scientology member: Tom Cruise. Read more »
July 31, 2007: Is the Federal Republic of Germany still a parliamentary democracy? Roman Herzog, former president of Germany, is one of those who asked the question recently. What is the problem here? It's all about the transfer of power from Berlin to Brussels. [MP3] »
August 28, 2007: The internet video portal "YouTube" has proven itself to be a popular and convenient means for sharing video clips with anyone who cares to view them. Unfortunately, that also includes neo-Nazis who want to share their anti-Semitic propaganda. Read more »
September 11, 2007: During his visit to Austria, Pope Benedict XVI cautioned against making Sunday just a day of personal leisure. He claimed that Sunday belongs to Jesus. Benedict is considered to be an intellectual, but how good is his knowledge of history? Read more »
September 28, 2007: Germany isn’t the only country where the Muslim head covering is a topic of debate. It is also a very controversial issue in Turkish society. Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan now plans to lift the ban on head coverings at Turkish universities. Read more »
October 20, 2007: The Lisbon EU summit meeting is being hailed as a breakthrough for the future of the European Union. Despite progress on the EU’s cumbersome decision-making process, the Lisbon reform treaty will not create a "United States of Europe." Read more »
November 14, 2007: The latter half of 2006 was a period of controversy for Pope Benedict XVI and his position toward the Islamic faith. In recent months, lower profile Roman Catholic spokesmen have further clarified the church’s stance on the Islamic faith in Europe. Read more »
December 8, 2007: With the dollar’s value having declined markedly in recent weeks, experts question whether the dollar will continue to be the world’s major reserve currency. Guess who is among the experts predicting the euro as a potential successor? Read more »
December 21, 2007: At midnight on Friday the Schengen zone in Europe was expanded eastward to include nine eastern European countries. A borderless European Union now extends from Russia all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Which country is the center of the Schengen zone? Read more »
