Accused of complicity in the death of nine Nigerian militants ( including writer Ken Saro-Wiwa ) executed by the Nigerian government in 1995, Anglo-Dutch petroleum giant Shell has paid out $15.5m (€11m) to the victim’s families in order to avoid a trial before an American court. According to Dutch daily Trouw, it’s regrettable that the affair has been concluded out of court, since now the truth will probably never come out as to the extent of Shell's involvement. "The legal process would have unleashed emotions in the Niger Delta region," says Trouw. "In this light, the settlement looks like a good solution for all parties concerned. On the other hand, it would have been an excellent opportunity to put the spotlight on Shell’s activities in the Delta. The accusations are very serious – we are talking of complicity to murder here. It’s therefore deeply unfortunate that this has been settled out of court." Trouw is also furious that the affair was not set to go to trial in Holland, where Shell, after all, is based.
The leader of Greece’s leftist alliance SYRIZA is the new bright hope of Greek politics. Steering a course between pragmatism and the rhetoric of class warfare, he has unsettled Berlin, and not just those who back Angela Merkel's austerity policies. 
Europe’s economic woes have forced us to try to understand the secret Olympian world of global finance. But now that we pay more attention to bond yields and stability mechanisms, isn’t it clear that the experts up on their lofty peaks don’t know what’s going on either? 
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is hosted by Azerbaijan, a country that is far from being a model democracy. An Estonian journalist takes a critical look at the deferential treatment enjoyed by the regime in Baku.