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The cold snap which has held Europe in its grip for over a week has yet to relent. Several countries have reported rising numbers of casualties as a result of the deep freeze. Holland, meanwhile, hopes the cold continues long enough to hold the mythical ice-skating race called Elfstedentocht.

Angela Merkel's decision to campaign on behalf of French President Sarkozy has infuriated the German opposition, with some warning that it could damage German-French ties. But German commentators say that the bigger threat is posed by Sarkozy's Socialist challenger Francois Hollande.

Sergey Lavrov has reaped massive criticism for Moscow's veto of the UN Security Council resolution on Syria, but the Russian foreign minister remains unmoved. The top diplomat, who met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Tuesday, has a track record of standing up to the West.

The foundations affiliated with Germany's major political parties are playing an important role in the upheavals in the Middle East, attracting the attention of the region's rulers -- and making them the targets of harassment. The organizations' troubles are by no means limited to Egypt, where the offices of one German organization were recently searched.

Two men have been arrested in Berlin for allegedly spying on members of the Syrian opposition in Germany, prosecutors said Tuesday. Officials were also searching the homes of six others suspected of similar activities. The arrests came amid international outrage at Syria's violent crackdown on opposition.

She may be "tough" and "sporty," but the exiled widow of East Germany's former leader still misses home. Margot Honecker longs for the forests and wild mushrooms of Germany, the author of a new book about her husband says.

There is a widespread belief that Germany is the big winner of the euro crisis, as investors stash their money in the euro zone's last safe haven, driving interest rates on German bonds down to record lows. But the idea is just a myth. Indeed, the crisis could end up costing Berlin dearly.

Patience with Greece is wearing thin in Europe. On Monday, Chancellor Merkel became just the latest EU leader to demand quick action from Athens. But talks on additional austerity measures there continue to go nowhere despite the looming threat of bankruptcy. Greek politicians, after all, must answer to their voters.

Egypt has seen a resurgence of unrest after last week's deadly attack on football fans loyal to the revolutionary movement. One eyewitness reports being amazed at how few police were at the match in Port Said. The military has denied it orchestrated the violence -- but it stands to gain from the chaos.

The Syrian army pounded rebel stronghold Homs again on Monday, raising a death toll that had already reached the hundreds in recent days. German editorialists are slamming moves by Russia and China over the weekend to to veto a resolution condemning the violence currently being perpetrated by Bashar Assad's regime.

As President Bashar Assad continues his brutal efforts to maintain power, Syria's rebellion has turned into a full-fledged civil war. Conditions are dire, but the outnumbered rebels report making progress. Eyewitnesses described the front lines for SPIEGEL.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's move to help President Nicolas Sarkozy in his bid for re-election is unprecedented. But so too is the European debt crisis. Berlin is driven by the fear that a Socialist president in Paris may overturn its strategy to rescue the euro. But Merkel's campaign assistance poses risks. By SPIEGEL Staff

In a SPIEGEL interview, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Euro Group, talks about the need for Greece to push ahead with economic reforms. If the country doesn't meet Europe's demands, it will have to declare bankruptcy in March, he says.

China said on Monday it was forbidding its airlines from joining a European Union carbon emissions scheme to protect the climate. The companies now face fines or may even be barred from landing at EU airports. The dispute comes as the EU is looking to China to help tackle the euro debt crisis. 

German President Christian Wulff, accused of using his public office for personal gain, is facing a new controversy. In 2010, when he was still a state governor, he received a discount on a Skoda SUV he leased. Critics say the head of state's behavior is undermining efforts to fight corruption.

Though largely ignored by the national media, Hungary's right-wing extremist Jobbik party operates within a surprisingly well-developed and self-sustained online universe. What's more, recent studies have found that the party's supporters aren't the "losers" that many experts thought they were.

One year ago, Egyptian Internet activist Wael Ghonim quickly became the face of the uprising. But he was never comfortable with the role and would still prefer to retreat into the crowd. The digital world is his comfort zone.