All Europe
- For Russians, Pyeongchang was a success. But doping's shadow still hard to escape.
The Olympic ban made Russian athletes' victories in Pyeongchang that much more dramatic for the Russian public. But the underlying issues over doping remain unresolved with fewer than 100 days until Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup.
- First LookGermany will revise social media censor law
Western democracies are watching Germany as the country revises an ambitious law to remove hate speech from social media sites. Critics say the law overreaches, blocking content that should not be removed.
- Switzerland has lots of guns. But its gun culture takes different path from US.
For many Swiss citizens, guns are as central to their identity as the Alps. But their attitude toward weapons – and the laws by which their guns are governed – are built on consensus that gets beyond the polarization that paralyzes the American debate.
- Italy's vote: what's really behind the surge in support for populist parties
No clear winner has emerged from Sunday's election. The vote drove home the message that migration has become a dominant issue in Western politics, even if it's not the root cause of popular discontent. A biweekly column on patterns in diplomacy.
- First LookItaly emerges from vote with rise of euroskeptic parties, but no majority
Two anti-European political groups gained ground in Italy's parliamentary election, but neither earned enough support to govern alone. The rise of these parties are examples of a surge in populist, right-wing eurosceptic forces sweeping across Europe.
- Italian town that models migrant integration feels national election's bite
Schio, located among the heartland of the anti-immigrant Northern League party, has long welcomed foreigners. But migration, a highly charged issue in this year's parliamentary election, is beginning to become divisive even here.
- First LookNonprofit group builds tiny homes for refugees in Parisian private gardens
Finding accommodations is a major issue for the more than 220,000 refugees living in France. An architecture nonprofit is tackling the issue by building tiny houses that Parisians can use to host a refugee on their property.
- First LookVatican magazine denounces nuns' treatment as 'indentured servants'
The March edition of the monthly women's magazine of the Vatican Newspaper is exposing the underpaid labor and unappreciated intellect of nuns, placing itself at the forefront of the Catholic Church's #MeToo movement.
- Why the Kremlin publishes uncensored translations of Western news
The state-sponsored InoSMI gets hundreds of thousands of Russian readers each day, who generally seem to view Western coverage of Russia as selective and simplistic. But the site also highlights how important cultural context is to understanding the news.
- Cover StoryCan schools help rid the world of sexual harassers and abusers?
From Iceland and Israel to Mexico and South Korea, schools around the world increasingly see rooting out sexism as their domain, before it takes hold and expresses itself in workplace abuse or domestic violence. Part 8 of Reaching for Equity: a global series on gender and power.
- Grand coalition? Why some in Germany prefer polarization to a mushy middle.
The center-left Social Democrats are deciding whether to join Angela Merkel's party in government. Many SPD rank and file believe that Germany – and Europe – would be better off in the long term if they did not.
- As Estonia turns 100, a new embrace of its Russian speakers
Estonia's relationship with its Russian-speaking population, who arrived after WWII, has long been strained. But spurred by tensions with Russia, the country is making efforts to better integrate and acknowledge the minority group.
- First LookEuropean migration to UK slows as Brexit transition nears
Migration into Britain from Europe has reached its lowest point since 2013, indicating Brexit has changed the dynamics of immigration into the country. But Brexit is not the only reason behind the turn in the migration and employment numbers.
- With elections imminent, Italy pulls out the stops to fight fake news
The issue of fake news – bufale, in Italian – has dominated concerns in Italy ahead of the March 4 parliamentary elections. The government, in partnership with companies like Facebook, has launched several projects to fight back.
- Before Russia's 'troll farm' turned to US, it had a more domestic focus
Though the outfit indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller may now be most famous for targeting US audiences, its original purpose was to sway Russians on domestic issues. And it was well covered by the Russian media.
- First LookBalkan nations increasingly feel effects of 'brain drain'
Unemployment, low wages, and lack of opportunity are driving thousands of young and educated adults out of Balkan nations, placing countries on uneven footing. The inability to retain youth has led to increasingly older and less educated populations.
- First LookUK unveils software to fight extremism online
The British government targeted online propaganda and fake news Tuesday with the release of new monitoring technology. The development contributes to mounting pressure on social media companies to further regulate what users see on their platforms.
- In atomized Britain, a collective push to tackle loneliness
Britons are more prone to social isolation than other Europeans, and researchers say the cost for society in lost productivity and poor health is rising. A new minister of loneliness is tasked with finding solutions.
- In Russia, a grass-roots bid to expose Stalin's ‘Great Terror’
The nascent movement mirrors efforts in many countries – Japan, Germany, Rwanda, and the United States, to name a few – to confront elements of a dark past.
- With Holocaust law, Poland imperils reconciliation with its past
The new law, which makes blaming Poland for Nazi war crimes a criminal offense, is meant to correct a common error about Polish involvement in the Holocaust. But it also threatens growing introspection into what role Poles did have in the genocide.