All Europe
First LookCreeping abortion restrictions in Russia spark outrageRecent proposals by authorities to restrict access to abortion have struck a nerve across Russia. While abortion remains legal, new regulations and mandates from the Health Ministry are designed to discourage women from seeking terminating pregnancies.
For victorious Polish democrats, restoring democracy is top challengePoland’s opposition won recent elections, showing autocrats can be beaten, but the established authorities retain the influence they have sown in society.
Seeking neutrality, Kremlin stays on sidelines of Israel-Hamas warRussia has cultivated warm ties with both Israelis and Palestinians, which it does not want to jeopardize by any involvement in the Israel-Hamas war.
As corruption costs lives on battlefield, Ukrainians demand changeAmid the conflict with Russia, Ukraine is fighting its own chronic corruption. But while corruption usually grows in war, Ukraine is beating it back.
First LookWinter is coming. But this year, Ukrainians are better prepared.Last winter, Ukrainians had to learn to survive without electricity after nearly half the country’s energy capacity was affected by Russian strikes. They are expecting the same, if not worse, conditions this year, but Ukrainians have spent months preparing.
First LookRussia detains U.S. journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Why she faces jail.Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist working for a U.S. government-funded media company, has been detained in Russia. Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty editor Alsu Kurmasheva is the second American journalist to be held in Russia this year.
First LookChinese EV sales are soaring in Europe. The EU doesn’t love it.Chinese automakers are winning over drivers in Europe’s electric vehicle market – a key industry in Europe’s green energy transition. The European Union says China is artificially driving down its prices, adding tensions between the West and China.
First LookOne year in office, has Italian Premier Meloni proven skeptics wrong?Giorgia Meloni took office one year ago as Italy’s first post-war far-right premier. But so far, Ms. Meloni has surprised skeptics. Notably, she has backed NATO support for Ukraine despite running an election campaign “raging against Europe.″
FocusFrance won’t apologize to Algeria for war. Enter the French people.Can a former colonial power make amends without offering an apology? France and Algeria offer a test case that shows how difficult it can be to grapple honestly with the past.
After Karabakh: Why peace in Azerbaijan could unsettle larger Russian sphereAzerbaijan's seizure of the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno Karabakh could prompt other ex-Soviet republics to choose violence over diplomacy.
As Poland votes, its close partner Ukraine becomes a political footballIf one European nation has stood by Ukraine in its war with Russia, it is Poland. But that partnership is under strain as Poland nears crucial national elections and parties try to take advantage of voters’ frustrations.
First LookPoland freed itself from communism. Now it's fighting for democracy.Sunday's elections in Poland may be the most important since 1989, when the nation threw off communist rule. Those activists who once fought communism are now divided – and many are worried that Polish democracy is at stake.
In Pictures: Why Yazidi herders still traverse Armenian mountainsEach year in the warmer seasons, Yazidi herders and their families guide their livestock to Armenia’s high pastures – a vestige of a nomadic past.
First LookGermany steps up deportations as migration pressure increasesGerman lawmakers have drawn up legislation to ease deportations. Political pressure is rising on the country's governing coalition, which fared poorly in two state elections on Sunday in part because of the migration issue.
First LookUK Supreme Court listens to arguments on Rwanda deportation policyThe British Supreme Court is hearing arguments this week around an agreement made last year to send failed asylum seekers in Britain to Rwanda. No one has yet been deported as court battles have delayed the implementation of the policy.
First LookChurch and state in Poland too close for comfort, say young votersThe ruling Law and Justice party that has aligned itself closely with the Catholic Church seeks to win a third straight term in the upcoming Polish parliamentary election. The party’s Christian values have led many young Poles to turn away from religion.
As GOP faction challenges Ukraine policy, does Biden have an answer?Amid weakening support for the Ukraine war effort, it’s a dramatic shift in Washington that has Kyiv and Western leaders most concerned.
With wary eye on Moscow, European Union opens door to UkraineRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has put European Union enlargement on the agenda again, with Kyiv the top-priority candidate. But joining won’t be easy.
First LookArmenians decry use of Israeli arms in Karabakh invasionWeeks before invading Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan received weapons shipments from Israel. Azerbaijan went on to recapture the region, causing thousands to flee – and bringing Israel’s national interests in the Caucasus to light.
For these Ukrainian volunteers, mission is to bring elders out of harm’s wayFleeing one’s home in war is often a difficult choice to make, but it is particularly so for Ukraine’s seniors, who have survived hard times before. It often falls upon volunteers to bring them to safety.
