All Europe
Making crime pay for the public? France gives seized property to charity.Selling criminals’ ill-gotten property to benefit the state is not new. But France is trying something different: giving confiscated real estate directly to charity, to transform crime into public gain.
Cover StoryFor Ukrainians, memory fuels the fight for sovereigntyIn Ukraine, remembering does more than honor those lost in the war. It charts a path forward to a future free of Russia.
First LookDelays cost lives: UN flags rising migrant crisis in MediterraneanThe U.N. migration agency reports 441 migrant deaths in 2023, the deadliest quarter in six years, and cites delayed rescue operations as a contributing factor. The agency expresses concerns about the normalization of this “intolerable” humanitarian crisis.
A second front in Ukraine’s war: The battle against corruptionUkraine is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe, but many citizens are seizing on the ferment war has brought as a chance to change that.
First LookFinland joins NATO, bolsters security across Euro-Atlantic regionNATO is set to welcome Finland as the 31st member Tuesday after a conservative victory in the country’s weekend election. Russia has signaled it will build up defenses near their joint border if NATO deploys any troops in its newest member.
From citizens’ pockets to soldiers’ hands: Ukraine’s crowdfunded war
First LookCold War echoes: US journalist arrested for espionage in RussiaThe Russian Federal Security Service arrested an American journalist, Evan Gershkovich, for espionage charges. The newspaper denies the allegations and demands his release, and the Biden administration has condemned the arrest “in the strongest terms.”
First LookFlorida vs. Florence: Visitors to David statue weigh in on US school uproarIn Tallahassee, Florida, parents pressured a school principal into resignation after an image of Michelangelo’s nude David statue was shown to a sixth grade art class.
First LookVatican disavows ‘Doctrine of Discovery,’ which justified taking of Native landsIndigenous peoples have long called upon the pope to reject the doctrine, which was built on 15th-century “papal bulls.” Pope Francis acknowledged that the historical measures do not reflect the equal dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples.
A frustrated French public defies Macron. But do protests matter?Protests against President Macron's retirement reforms have inflamed France. Yet in a country where demonstrating is practically de rigueur, how much difference does marching really make in a situation like this?
Interview: Belarus leader in exile on ‘defending our common values’Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus? The exiled leader of Belarus’ pro-democracy movement, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, points to a different view of her nation’s future.
Journalists and AI: Is the newsroom big enough for both?News media are beginning to experiment with artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to write articles. But AI doesn't know if what it writes is true. How can it be used for responsible journalism?
First LookUkraine calls on UN to counter Russia’s ‘nuclear blackmail’President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, in response to Ukraine’s support from the West. Ukraine has asked for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, calling on nations’ “special responsibility” in the war.
First LookMacron ‘is not a king’: 1 million French protest pension reformOver a million people protested across France Thursday to oppose President Macron’s proposal to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64. Amid violent nationwide demonstrations, unions called for strikes to coincide with King Charles III’s visit.
Has war in Ukraine sealed the bond between Russia and China?Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s summit in Moscow was nominally meant to be about bringing peace to Ukraine. But it appears to have strengthened the countries’ partnership against the West.
Ukraine to invade? Russia plotting? Rumors fly in Moldova amid protests.In Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova, the war is exacerbating old tensions as the country’s East-West divides bring protesters onto the streets.
First LookBanking giant UBS is acquiring troubled rival Credit SuisseBanking giant UBS is acquiring smaller rival Credit Suisse in an effort to avoid further market-shaking turmoil in global banking, Swiss President Alain Berset announced.
First LookInternational Criminal Court targets Putin, issues arrest warrantThe International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Court says Mr. Putin is allegedly responsible for the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
‘Life doesn’t stop, it just changes’: Entrepreneurs flourish in OdesaAfter a hard winter, optimism is returning to Odesa’s businesspeople. Small and medium enterprises are coming to life, expanding and launching new products despite the war.
First LookPension pains plague Paris, as Macron raises retirement age by forceProtests in Paris continue to mount against President Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age to 64, which he is pushing through parliament without a vote. Opposition plans a no-confidence vote on the government led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
