All Europe
Not back in the USSR: Russia’s battle over rap highlights cultural shiftsA crackdown on Russian rappers may look like a continuation of Soviet-era cultural controls. But the debate it has engendered in Russian society shows that much has changed since Soviet days.
The chicken age: Will finger lickin’ fossils define our geological era?Over the past several decades, humankind has reshaped the domestic chicken into a creature highly tailored to our needs – so much so that its fossils may prove to be the defining markers of our geological era.
How much should a former church’s past affect its future use?As religious buildings hit the real estate market in an era of shrinking congregations, some are weighing how to strike a balance between the buildings’ former purposes and communities’ modern needs.
Why Britain's effort to end knife crime is about more than stopping violenceKnife crime is surging across England and Wales, spurring new strategies to end the violence. But activists say that until the deeper societal issues fueling the crime are fixed, prevention efforts will be only stopgap.
[special project]Are Greek and EU officials illegally deporting migrants to Turkey?While reporting in Greece on another story, Monitor correspondent Dominique Soguel heard tales of migrants being beaten and illegally expelled from the EU by border officials. So she investigated.
First LookSpanish cabinet meeting stirs up dissent in CataloniaPro-independence Catalan demonstrators took to the streets Dec. 21 to protest against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's decision to host a weekly cabinet meeting in Barcelona, bringing hundreds of anti-riot officers from the national police force with him.
First LookDrones shutdown London's Gatwick Airport, snarling holiday trafficGatwick Airport reopened Friday morning after a closure prompted by unauthorized industrial drones flying over the airport stranding tens of thousands of visitors. This incident may be a bellwether of more to come as drone use becomes more widespread worldwide.
First LookPutin blames US on negating treatises, pursuing nuclear proliferationIn a press conference, President Vladimir Putin accused the US of being the driving force behind a lapse in negotiations of the New START treaty and reneging on existing nuclear nonproliferation agreements. The consequences, he claims, could lead to nuclear war.
Facing Orbán's 'Death Star,' Hungary's protesters strike backProtests in Hungary show the strength of Viktor Orbán's grip on power. But they also highlight the stakes – as the media monopoly that has stifled the opposition leaves them feeling they have no other options.
First LookEU considers contingency plans for a no-deal BrexitEuropean Union officials announced plans to ensure that financial services, flights, and other necessities between the United Kingdom and EU member nations continue even if the UK leaves the EU in March without a withdrawal deal in place.
As no-deal Brexit risk rises, so do odds of monster traffic jamsIn the villages along Britain's critical supply route to France, a “no deal” Brexit is not just a political issue. It could have very real ramifications – not least turning southeast Britain into a tractor trailer parking lot.
First LookCatalan politicians awaiting trial undergo hunger strikeThe hunger strike of four detained Catalan separatist leaders entered its third week as pressure mounts on the central government in Madrid to contain the restive Catalonia region. The defendants want to appeal their upcoming trial to the European Court of Human Rights.
In Armenia, a democratic revolution that no one noticedViolence and bombast tend to dominate headlines. In Armenia, however, residents staged a quiet, grass-roots revolution while the world was looking elsewhere.
First LookMay survives no confidence vote, but future of Brexit still unclearPrime Minister Theresa May staved off a rebellion by her fellow Torries, but emerged weaker after failing to guarantee a majority of votes in Parliament for her Brexit plan. Ms. May is heading back to Brussels for more EU negotiations, but the bloc is resisting substantial changes.
A reporter's backstory – finding a way to humanize a global crisisSeventy million people have been displaced by political violence, war, and persecution, emptying their savings and risking their lives to reach new lands. The Monitor told some of their stories in our series On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration, with 10 journalists covering more than a dozen countries.
First LookBritish lawmakers prepare for no-confidence vote on May leadershipDisagreement over Brexit negotiations has spurred the British Parliament to a no-confidence vote on Prime Minister Theresa May. Results of the vote are expected to be announced by the end of day on Wednesday, Dec. 12.
In a bid to save Soviet-era art, Kiev activists preserve a slice of historyEager to erase its communist past, Ukraine recently launched a campaign to destroy Soviet-era symbols. But efforts to preserve these works point to the value of art as an important relic of history.
First LookSpain's unexpected wave of migrants: teenagersFollowing an uptick of teenage migrants traveling from Morocco to Spain, the European nation is grappling with unprecedented numbers of unaccompanied – and vulnerable – minors who are looking for work.
As Theresa May fumbles Brexit, a far-right backlash is brewingThe protests France is witnessing don't suit the British – unless they're pushed too far. As rightist supporters of Brexit channel a more overt nativism, many worry the country is moving into uncharted waters.
France’s ‘yellow vests’ only have one common message: anger at governmentFrance’s “yellow vest” protesters have been highly visible, but their motives have been cryptic, thanks in large part to their lack of leaders and structure.
