Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin and the heirs of the German-Jewish publisher Rudolf Mosse (1843–1920) are joining forces in the search for art works expropriated by the National Socialists from the family of the philanthropist Rudolf Mosse as well as the circumstances surrounding their confiscation. The two parties have signed a contract valid through February 2019 to establish the Mosse Art Research Initiative (MARI). In provenance research, the MARI project is unprecedented.

As of Sunday, December 11, when the new train schedules took effect, the Berlin Public Transport Company (BVG) renamed the subway station “Thielplatz” on Line U3 to "Freie Universität." The station is just around the corner from the first main building of the university founded in 1948 on the Dahlem campus. "With more than 30,000 students, Freie Universität is one of the three major universities in Berlin and has an outstanding reputation as an educational institution worldwide," said a spokesperson for the BVG. To facilitate orientation, the traditional name "Thielplatz" is being retained as an additional name.

It takes place within just a few minutes: I pick the thick volume up from the nightstand and flip through the pages until I find the spot where I left off. Another sip of tea, and I start a new chapter.

When the very first antibiotic – penicillin – was developed, in the mid-20^th century, there were great expectations. The new active ingredient was able to kill off dangerous bacteria, unlocking possibilities of therapy for diseases that had previously been difficult to treat.

In the north of the Caucasus region, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, geography gets tricky. Georgia borders southern Russian republics with complicated names there, and in between lie autonomous regions such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Adjara, remnants of complex conflicts following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Plastic is practical, hygienic, and sturdy, and it can be used in every area of our lives. As a result, it is no wonder that about 320 million tons of plastics were produced worldwide in 2015 – and the figure is rising. But the fact that plastic is so stable, even practically inert – there are almost no substances that react chemically with plastic – is both an advantage and a problem. Unlike paper and other forms of organic waste, plastic waste biodegrades extremely slowly.

A network of seven liaison offices all over the world maintains and expands the international contacts of Freie Universität. Stefan Diederich, an expert on India with a doctorate in political science, has been the head of the office in New Delhi since last June. Thanks in part to funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), he is able to further expand and develop the cooperation between Freie Universität and two top universities in India.

Learning a new language, making new friends, wading through bureaucracy, coping with everyday life: Refugees making a new life in Germany have a lot to deal with, and Freie Universität has been giving them extra support to help them get started at the university.