All Europe
First LookIconic French glassmaker pauses production as energy costs riseFrench tableware brand Duralex will cease production on Nov. 1 after 77 years as energy costs increase. Duralex joins a slew of European firms, including German bakeries, that have reduced or halted production because of the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
Queen Elizabeth: The monarch at the heart of an evolving BritainQueen Elizabeth II oversaw Britain鈥檚 struggle to define itself in the postwar era. Yet through the tumult, the queen鈥檚 legacy has been to maintain a sense of purpose 鈥� for country and monarchy 鈥� when pessimism and insecurity could have led Britons to turn their backs.
First LookEurope tries to reel in sky-high inflation with rapid rate hikeThe European Central Bank increased its interest rate Thursday by the largest amount in its history. The bank joins other central banks around the world trying to slow record inflation by raising interest rates.
No Paris? No problem! Russian tourists holiday in the homeland this summer.Amid war and sanctions, Russian tourists have been cut off from many vacation spots this summer. That has spurred a boom in travel to destinations within their own vast homeland.
First LookBlack history restored: New life for Atlanta civil rights homeA Victorian Atlanta home with a storied past was bought by an Atlanta couple who wanted to preserve its place in Black American history. The聽restoration was filmed by PBS, which will air as part of the channel鈥檚 series 鈥淭his Old House鈥� on Sept. 29.聽
First LookItaly's left sees hope in young progressive candidate for premierElly Schlein聽is facing off against far-right leader Giorgia Meloni to become Italy鈥檚 first female premier. Ms. Schlein, who volunteered on former President Obama鈥檚 presidential campaigns, wants to create a progressive coalition that might unite the Italian left.
First LookRussian shelling knocks Ukrainian nuclear plant offlineMinor damage caused by Russian shelling has stressed a fragile situation at Europe鈥檚 largest nuclear plant in Ukraine鈥檚聽Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Concerns about the safety of frontline plant persist as U.N. inspectors continue to tour the complex and assess risks.
First LookBritain's new PM: Liz Truss takes the helm of a crisis-battered UKLiz Truss of the Conservative Party assumed role as Britain鈥檚 prime minister Tuesday. As new leader of the nation, she will face a host of challenges from skyrocketing energy costs to a struggling public health service.
Ukraine鈥檚 wartime schools: Intensity, purpose, and an eye to safetyAs a safety-minded Ukraine launches a new school year at a time of war, the conflict has sharpened a seriousness of purpose 鈥� among educators and students alike.
Who鈥檚 a Latvian and why? A complex question just got harder.The Latvian government鈥檚 fear of Moscow, in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, has halted Riga鈥檚 efforts to incorporate its ethnic Russian citizens.
First LookAchievements and failures: How the world remembers Mikhail GorbachevThe departure of Mikhail Gorbachev, who brought tremendous change to Russia, Europe, and the world as steward of the Soviet Union in its twilight years, prompted praise, reflections, and some bitter resentment from leaders and diplomats around the globe.
Mikhail Gorbachev, the man who changed the worldMikhail Gorbachev helped end the Cold War and oversaw the dissolution of the totalitarian Soviet Union. But he was widely reviled in Russia.
What鈥檚 booming in wartime Odesa? Laughter.Delivering joy at times of stress is a tough act. Unless, perhaps, you鈥檙e a comedian. In Odesa, a new crop of stand-up comics is giving war-weary audiences some comfort.
First LookPerilous mission: UN agency heads to inspect Ukraine's nuclear plantA team from the U.N. is on its way to Ukraine鈥檚 atomic energy plant in the heart of the fighting. This mission will be the hardest in the history of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said聽Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Foreign sports stars flee Russia as world shuns their teamsThe Ukraine war has isolated Russia from the world of sport, keeping it from international competition and draining foreign stars from local leagues.
For Ukrainians, this year, 鈥楻ussia put independence in our hearts鈥�That freedom is taken for granted until someone tries to take it away might be a truism. Yet a Monitor reporter in Ukraine found Independence Day to be especially resonant this year.
Murder in Moscow: The murky politics behind a political killingThe pro-war activist slain in a car bomb in Moscow likely was seen as a Kremlin proxy. But for most Russians, the unknowns surrounding her killing may have clouded any political message.
Cover StoryGrace in grief: Ukrainians find dignity in honoring those they鈥檝e lostFor Ukrainians, the absence of loved ones killed in war is a constant presence.聽Their grace in grief defies the barbarism of the conflict.
UK strikes: More than just a matter of moneyA wave of strikes in the U.K. has been fueled by a gap between rates of inflation and wage increases, and by a sense of social injustice as inequality widens.
On tour and in bomb shelters, he sings to rouse the spirit of Ukraine (video)U.S.-born Jurij Fedynskyj moved to Kyiv to rediscover his roots. Now he works to preserve聽Ukraine鈥檚 culture of courage and resilience, reviving the kobzar tradition of sharing folklore through song.
