All Europe
- First LookWagner troops advance on Moscow as Putin vows to stop 'rebellion'
Russian mercenary troops press toward Moscow in a rebellion that President Vladimir Putin called a 'betrayal.'
- First LookCommunity, conversation: Berlin opens new Jewish cultural center
Germany’s largest Jewish educational and cultural center since the Holocaust is set to open on Sunday. With spaces to eat, play, and learn, it is meant to build community and open discussions among Jewish residents and also members of other religions.
- Behind Ukraine’s front lines, a battle to manage expectations
Russian forces are well dug in to fend off Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive. So even as Ukrainian civilians speak of eventual victory, many soldiers are concerned that such hopes not reach unrealistic heights.
- First LookHow a French nun hopes to carve a new path for women in the Vatican
Sister Nathalie Becquart, a French nun, is the first female undersecretary at the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops. Although she brings hope to Catholic women, the future of women’s roles in the church remains a subject under consideration.
- First LookUK Parliament votes to back ‘partygate’ report that slammed Boris Johnson
The censure strips the former prime minister of his lifetime access to Parliament, after lawmakers voted by 354 votes to 7 to approve a scathing report by the Privileges Committee.
- First LookUS ambassador marches in Warsaw Pride parade, sending message to NATO ally
In recent years, Western governments have been alarmed by a conservative government in Warsaw that depicts gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people as threats to Poland and its children.
- First LookFood and war: African peace mission faces test in battle-weary Ukraine
A delegation of African leaders arrived in Ukraine to attempt mediation for the ongoing war while securing food and fertilizer for their continent. A new air raid struck simultaneously in Kyiv, underscoring the complexity of the challenge.
- Despite war, post-Soviet states find breaking up with Russia hard to do
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine initially shook many of its neighbors into looking for other geopolitical partners. But economic and geographical necessity is returning them to Moscow’s orbit.
- On banks of environmental disaster, Ukrainians try to stand strong
Cities recover from floods, and Kherson’s wartime experiences have steeled it to face challenges. But in the Ukrainian city, along the banks of the Dnipro, and around the Black Sea, concerns mount for the flood’s environmental impact.
- First LookSilvio Berlusconi: A polarizing figure who reshaped Italian politics
Silvio Berlusconi, who died Monday, left a lasting impact on Italian politics with his polarizing policies and charismatic personality. His influence extended to his business empire, which now faces an uncertain future.
- First LookDam collapse: Zelenskyy mobilizes aid for devastated Kherson
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visits flood-hit Kherson, assessing evacuation efforts and aid provision. The mayor of the Russian-occupied town of Nova Kakhovka reports five deaths and ongoing evacuation of the remaining two residents after the dam breach.
- Free speech or homophobia? French soccer dips into the scrum.
How do you balance the demands of a sports league that’s promoting a social agenda with the rights of players wanting to express their personal beliefs?
- In Germany’s east, a hard rethink of relations with once-close Russia
How does one respond when a once-trusted friend turns out to be an aggressive threat to its neighbors? That’s what eastern Germans are wrestling with after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- First LookFrench pension protests enter day 14: Fatigue high, thousands remain
French unions hope to reignite resistance to President Emmanuel Macron’s higher retirement age with what may be a final surge of nationwide protests and scattered strikes. Despite minor disruptions, turnout was much lower than in previous protests.
- First LookUkraine dam collapses, flooding villages. Who’s responsible?
The wall of a major dam controlled by Moscow in southern Ukraine has collapsed, threatening Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and drinking water supplies. Both sides of the conflict are evacuating residents and blaming the other for damages to the dam.
- First LookIs Poland's democracy eroding? Big crowds protest government.
A march on Sunday drew hundreds of thousands of Poles to the nation’s capital to protest a conservative government that critics say has eroded democratic norms. The march was held on the 34th anniversary of the country’s first democratic elections in 1989.
- First LookSerbia-Kosovo tensions are back on the rise. Why?
Serbia-Kosovo tensions flared up this week after Kosovo police fired tear gas on Serb protesters after a local election boycott. Clashes between Serbs on one side and Kosovo police and NATO peacekeepers on another have pushed Serbia to shore up its troops.
- Not partners, but on same page: Russia, West push Armenian-Azeri peace
Even while starkly divided over the war in Ukraine, Russia and the West show hints of being able to find common ground on other issues of importance, as evidenced by an imminent Armenian-Azeri peace treaty.
- Letter from Moscow: When war suddenly explodes over your roof
In Moscow, it can be easy to ignore the devastating but faraway war in Ukraine. But that changes quickly when drones and anti-aircraft missiles start exploding in the skies overhead one morning.
- For Turks in Germany, ‘home’ is a complicated concept
Germany’s large Turkish population often feels caught between two worlds: a physical home and a psychological home. How much is Germany fostering that by banning dual citizenship?