All Europe
- First LookRussia's latest reform allows Putin to stay in power past 2024
The constitutional reform that would allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 prompted calls for Russian opposition protests. These changes redistribute the executive powers and further reinforce the power of presidency.
- First LookLike China, Italy now adopting sweeping month-long lockdown
Italy became the first democracy to attempt a major lockdown of 16 million people for nearly a month to halt new coronavirus.
- No more Kafka: Russian bureaucrats now offer service with a smile
Government clerks in Russia have long had a reputation of being mean, petty, and corrupt. But in the last few years, they have been transformed.
- First LookMigrants squeezed by Turkey, Greece who can't house them
Five years on, the European Union is still stuck on how to process asylum-seekers. Violence in Syria is sending a new large wave of migrants flowing towards Turkey, which has opened its border with Greece. Migrants are caught in the middle.
- Can Putin and Erdoğan once again keep their countries from going to war?
As tensions rise in Syria, the onus is on Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to pull Russia and Turkey away from the brink of war.
- First LookWhy Turkey suddenly allowed migrants to cross into Greece
The fight with Syrian government forces is part of why Turkey decided to open the borders for refugees to go to Europe, says a Turkish official.
- First LookGreek islands protest over new migrant detention centers
A record 60,000 migrants arrived on Greek islands last year and authorities are struggling to manage the flow. Island residents, feeling overrun, want new detention centers to be built on the mainland.
- France begins to reckon with the dark side of its cultural elite
For decades, the cultural elite of France have played by their own set of rules. But in the #MeToo era, bad behavior may no longer be tolerated.
- Refugee crisis hits home on this overflowing Greek island
UN asks Greece to fix bottlenecks for the largest influx of refugees since the crisis’ 2015-16 peak. Overcrowding hits locals and migrants alike.
- First LookDeadly shooting in Germany points to far-right extremism
A xenophobic attack in Hanau, Germany, which killed nine people, comes amid growing concerns about far-right violence. Chancellor Merkel said the shootings expose the "poison" of racism in German society. All nine people killed had foreign backgrounds.
- Can long-austere Russia spend its way to a more dynamic economy?
Russia is adopting Keynesian economics and stimulus spending in an attempt to give its long-austere economy a boost.
- [special project]Navigating uncertainty: As global order creaks, what comes next?
We hear the worried question frequently: Where is the world headed? Even amid deep uncertainty, many are trying to shape a path toward progress.
- Israel, South Africa, and the ‘deal of the century’
Israel shares illuminating parallels with the South Africa of the 1980s, including huge disparities in economic leverage and power.
- German conservatives resist wind power, but not for reasons you’d think
Unlike conservative resistance to alternative sources in the U.S., German activists are aren’t against wind energy in principle, but in practice.
- Latvia and Lithuania begin to tackle a chronic scourge: suicide
Latvia and Lithuania have some of the world’s highest suicide rates, but both countries have begun to tackle the underlying causes.
- First LookSinn Fein pushes Irish unity after winning 37 parliament seats
In the past, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have denounced Sinn Fein for its historic ties to the IRA, but lawmakers now face the formidable task of uniting the fractured 160-member Parliament to form a new government in coming weeks.
- First LookGermany in leadership crisis as Merkel's successor quits
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer says she won't be seeking the German chancellorship next year, reflecting a growing split within the Christian Democrats after a recent endorsement of a far-right candidate.
- First LookIreland sees a socialist surge ahead of Saturday's election
A new contender is challenging Ireland's historically dominant parties. Polls show young voters are drawn to the bold, socialist policies of the Sinn Fein party as Ireland chooses a new parliament on Saturday.
- First LookWhy Northern Ireland is last in U.K. to hold a same-sex wedding
Northern Ireland is the last of the United Kingdom to achieve marriage equality, caught between demands of the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. But LGBTQ activists are still fighting for the right to convert civil partnerships to marriage.
- Cover StoryCybersecurity 2020: What Estonia knows about thwarting Russians
Estonia has become a model in foiling Russian hacking and disinformation. What could the Baltic state teach the U.S. about securing the 2020 election?