Austerity

Puerto Rican students forced Governor Alejandro García Padilla to abandon a plan to slash university funding by 20 percent, but the issue went largely uncovered in US media.

Voters in Greece have thrown their support behind Alexis Tsipras, the leader of a left-wing, anti-austerity party called Syriza. Tsipras says his first task as prime minister will be to renegotiate the tough economic measures imposed on Greece by the Eurozone, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. Tsipras says he wants to give Greeks their dignity back.

You’d be forgiven for thinking Greece’s financial mess had been straightened out. After all, there’s been little talk lately of a Greek exit, or “Grexit,” from the Eurozone. But a call for new elections in Greece, coupled with the strength of an anti-austerity party headed by Alexis Tsipras, has Europeans considering Grexit 2.0.

Until recently, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party enjoyed substantial popularity in Greece. Then, two weeks ago, a Golden Dawn member admitted to killing anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas. In the following days, Greek authorities arrested more than 20 Golden Dawn members, including much of the party’s leadership.

Spain hiked its taxes on cultural events as it faces mounting debts and budget deficits. And those higher taxes have greatly reduced the attendance and theaters and other arts establishments. But one theater, and now several other groups, have found a way to make the law work for them — with carrots.