All Europe
First LookSweeter than hand sanitizer: handmade French soaps get a boostTraditional Marseille soapmakers are enjoying a resurgence of interest in their product as hand sanitizers are getting harder to find across Europe. Each bar is crafted by hand using an abundance of local oils, soda, and salt.
First LookRussia continues disinformation tactic, this time with coronavirusRussia is attempting to "aggravate the public health crisis" by spreading coronavirus disinformation on social media, similar to tactics used in the U.S. presidential 2016 election, according to a European Union document.
Cover StoryExploring Russia’s forgotten land: The North CaucasusOur reporter revisits the rugged Caucasus to see how the region has emerged from an era of tumult and revived local cultures.
[special project]How to deal with the climate emergency? Ask your neighbor.Climate change is a divisive issue. But some say people could unite around it – if they worked through their differences with deliberative democracy.
Why coronavirus crisis may keep Putin in office until 2036Vladimir Putin appears to be set for another two terms as Russia’s president, amid reforms weakening the position. What is driving the move?
First Look'A hope for all women': Greece swears in first female presidentKaterina Sakellaropoulou became the president of Greece on Friday. She is the first woman in the nation's 200-year history to occupy one of its highest political offices.
Germany without Merkel: Where does Europe’s engine go next?Angela Merkel has guided Germany and Europe for two decades. But with her tenure nearing its end, the vision of Germany’s future is suddenly unclear.
First LookGermany designates a wing of far-right AfD party 'extremist'Known as "The Wing," the radical group of German's far-right AfD party is under surveillance and branded an "extremist entity" by the German intelligence agency. Germany continues to respond to increasing acts of racism and anti-semitism.
First LookHow the EU is trying to prevent a virus-induced recessionAs the WHO designated COVID-19 a "pandemic," European countries are passing short-term financial measures to support health care, businesses, and labor markets in the hope of averting long-term economic effects from the coronavirus.
First LookRussia's latest reform allows Putin to stay in power past 2024The 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 lockdownItaly 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 smileGovernment 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 themFive 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 GreeceThe 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 centersA 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 eliteFor 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 islandUN 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 extremismA 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.
