All Europe
- First LookRussia claims control of key eastern Ukrainian province
Russia has claimed control over the last Ukrainian stronghold in an eastern province that is key to achieving a major goal of Moscow’s grinding war.
- First LookA political hostage for Moscow? Brittney Griner's trial begins.
Four and a half months after her arrest, professional basketball star Britney Griner’s trial in Moscow begins Friday. Ms. Griner was arrested in February for cannabis possession and now faces up to 10 years in prison, if found guilty of large scale transportation of drugs.
- First LookMessage to Moscow: NATO invites Fins and Swedes to join
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to weaken NATO may have backfired, as his aggression toward Ukraine pushed Sweden and Finland to apply for membership in the alliance. And now it’s official: On June 29, NATO leaders welcomed both nations’ applications.
- First LookYaël Braun-Pivet elected first woman speaker in French Assembly
Yaël Braun-Pivet, a member of the French National Assembly who belongs to President Macron’s centrist alliance, became the new house speaker on Tuesday. In her inaugural speech, Ms. Braun-Pivet stressed the need for cordial debate and understanding across the aisle.
- In Pictures: In Romania, ancestral villages swell each wedding season
Each year, the sleepy hills of northern Romania explode in population as summer wedding season brings back locals working abroad.
- Tale of two cities: Ukrainians’ war experiences differ starkly
Ukraine may be at war, but how Ukrainians endure depends greatly on where they live. For those in the west, life can seem almost normal. In the east, the conflict is an intrusive reality.
- First LookNATO and US vow more help for Ukraine after Russia strikes mall
A Russian missile attack on a crowded shopping mall caused havoc and tragedy in a Ukrainian city south of Kyiv on Monday. The strike, although seemingly intended to warn NATO and test Ukrainian’s resilience, triggered a fresh outpouring of support for Ukraine.
- The ExplainerWith Sinn Féin in driver’s seat, what’s next for Northern Ireland?
Northern Irish politics are in limbo after republican party Sinn Féin topped the polls for the first time. But its victory suggests the island is entering a new era in sectarian relations.
- First LookSeven decades later, German court sentences 101-year-old Nazi
A man identified as ‘Josef S.’ has been sentenced in Germany for his role as a Nazi security guard at a concentration camp during World War II. He denies the allegations, while leaders in the German Jewish community say the sentencing brings closure.
- First LookIn Ukraine, crowd-funding strategies bolster war effort and morale
As the war in Ukraine pushes on, civilian volunteers are raising funds and rounding up supplies for troops. From making camouflage nets, to setting up hotlines, to emptying their own savings, ordinary citizens are doing whatever they can to help.
- First LookAfter Ukraine, NATO wonders if Africa is Russia’s next target
As Spain hosts NATO allies this week, it’s pushing them to guard against Russian encroachment in an unexpected place: Africa.
- First LookG7 Summit plans new bans on Russian gold imports
The G7 Summit opened Sunday with leaders planning new bans on imports of Russian gold - and more oil and gas sanctions - in the latest moves intended to further isolate Russia economically.
- First LookRussian missiles hit Kyiv: A message to G7 leaders?
Russian cruise missiles hit at least two residential buildings. Kyiv's mayor said the airstrikes were “maybe a symbolic attack” ahead of the G7 and NATO summits this week.
- Ukraine’s candidacy for EU sends a signal. Now the hard part begins.
European Union leaders granted Ukraine candidacy to be a member of the bloc, bolstering morale in Ukraine and EU solidarity. But the practical difference could be a decade or more away.
- For Russian public, how full a view of war do front-line reporters give?
Russians’ view of the war may be antithetical to that of the West, but it is not rose-colored. Russian journalists are providing the public with their front-line, detailed take on the conflict.
- First LookVacation mayhem: European airports overrun and understaffed
Europe travelers are stranded at airports after numerous flight delays and cancellations. This comes after multiple airlines and airports laid off employees at the peak of the pandemic. The head of Europe’s biggest airline warns the turmoil will last all summer.
- First Look‘A game-changer’: EU expected to welcome Ukraine’s candidacy
Leaders around Europe are expected to officially welcome Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership on Thursday. Becoming a member of the economic and political bloc is a lengthy, complicated process, but the move offers many Ukrainians a reason for hope.
- Ukraine: Three girls wounded by war, three paths toward healing
What the three young Ukrainians share is girlhood interrupted by a war that left them wounded. How each finds her way forward, with help or alone, is unique.
- By voting in split parliament, French public demands Macron compromise
French government policy usually comes down to presidential desire. But the public has forced a rarer model of governance: one of cooperation and compromise.
- First LookRussian Nobel winner auctions his award to aid Ukrainian children
Nobel Peace laureate Dmitry Muratov, an independent Russian journalist, has auctioned off his gold medal for a record $103.5 million to raise money for Ukrainian children. "I was not expecting this to be such a huge amount,” said Mr. Muratov.