Olympian Hoops 11 August

Preserving a social model in hard times

Finance ministers call for wage restraint, but unions are worried about migrating work and workers.

Italy must not squander its recouped EU capital

If recent polls are anything to go by, Italy's general election on 13-14 April will produce a centre-right majority and hand Silvio Berlusconi a third period as prime minister.

Winning gold medals for hypocrisy

There was a tell-tale edge of hysteria to Beijing's denunciation of a British newspaper editorial which last week (23 March) compared the Chinese regime to the Nazis and the 2008 Beijing Olympics to the 1936 Games in Nuremberg.

Not all oil-price shocks were born equal

Oil prices have been steadily rising from the beginning of this decade, from $27 per barrel in January 2000 to $74 in January 2006, and as subsequent volatility has shown, they have not yet stopped.

Turkey blown off course by an ill wind

The improved prospects for dialogue across the divide in Cyprus are as welcome as the pale sunshine and longer days of spring. Movement from the Greek Cypriot side is long overdue, and has unsurprisingly been met by widespread rejoicing at the warming of relations across the only military border within the EU.