All Europe
First LookLukashenko 'show of strength' pales next to Belarus protestersPresident Alexander Lukashenko held a rally Sunday rejecting calls to rerun the vote that gave him a sixth term. But 200,000 anti-government protesters turned out in Minsk.听- 鈥業 have a right to be here鈥�: German Muslims push back against IslamophobiaFive million Muslims are increasingly part of the fabric of German society, but anti-Muslim incidents are on the rise too.
First LookWhy France is sailing into a Greece-Turkey territorial disputeFrance beefed up its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where tensions are growing between France's close ally, Greece, and Turkey. Both countries claim oil and gas rights in the area.
First LookLukashenko opponent left Belarus under duress, say aidesHours after refusing to concede without an election recount, former teacher Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has left Belarus and called for an end to anti-government protests.听The U.S. and E.U. have condemned the police violence against protestors, saying the election was not "free and fair."
First LookWhy scientists are questioning Russia鈥檚 new COVID vaccineRussia is the first country to declare a coronavirus vaccine ready for use. But scientists worry that Moscow circumvented Phase 3 trials, which typically involve thousands of people and last for months.
First LookDiscontent spills into streets after Belarus electionEarly results show a landslide win for President Alexander Lukashenko. But opposition parties say the vote was rigged, and protests erupted.听聽
The ultimate high ground: Russia and US try to set rules for space weaponsRussia, the U.S., and other space-going nations are trying to establish a military presence in space around Earth 鈥� and defend themselves from rivals.
First LookWhy tens of thousands of Russians are protesting in the streetsSome 4,000 miles from Moscow, protesters in Khabarovsk see the charges against their governor as political and demand that he stand trial at home.
With Siberia in flames, climate change hits home for RussiaSiberia is experiencing a sweltering heat wave that has unleashed devastating fires in the Russian tundra. Scientists say climate change is the cause.
Europe鈥檚 tourism test: How do you bring in tourists and not an outbreak, too?For European resort towns, reopening calls for balance: embracing tourists enough to make a living, but without setting off a COVID-19 outbreak.
First LookEU leaders prove 鈥榩rogress鈥� possible, set $2.1 trillion budgetEuropean Union leaders agreed on a $2.1 trillion budget, including a $857 billion coronavirus relief fund, after one of their longest summits on record. Despite "extremely tense moments," the 27 leaders "managed to make progress," French President Emmanuel Macron said.
First LookEU leaders face choice: Build unity or present 鈥榓 weak Europe鈥�Calling on EU leaders to build "unity and trust," a heart-tugging speech by the European council president sparked a glimmer of hope as聽EU leaders entered the fourth day of negotiations聽over a $2.1 trillion budget and coronavirus relief fund.
First LookWith $2.1T to split, EU leaders ditch webcams for live summitAfter five remote video summits failed to resolve budget issues, European Union nations are planning the bloc's first in-person meeting since the pandemic began. But with doctors on-site, social distancing, and press restrictions, this summit will look very different.听
First Look'Fills me with pride': New statue replaces UK slave traderAnti-racism demonstrators pulled down the 18-foot bronze likeness of Edward Colston and dumped it in the River Avon 鈥� sparking both delight and dismay in Britain and beyond. A statue of a Black Lives Matter聽protester now stands in its place.听
First LookPoland presidential election a victory for conservative valuesPolish President Andrzej Duda has won five more years in power, giving the government a new mandate to pursue reforms of the judiciary and media.
First LookPoland presidential vote: What's at stake in Sunday's electionSunday's presidential runoff between President Duda and Rafal Trzaskowski may be the closest election in Poland鈥檚 history, reflecting聽 deep divisions.
For Russian experts, Taliban bounty report just doesn鈥檛 make senseEven critics of the Kremlin see little logic to the report that Russia has been awarding bounties to the Taliban for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
First LookPolish coal industry battered by virus as global demand plummetsWith the global coal market already in steep decline, Poland's mines are facing another threat from the coronavirus. While miners number 80,000 in the country of 38 million, they account for one fifth of the nation's virus cases.
Defund the police? Europeans redirect them.Some European countries have taken mental health and social crises out of police hands, asking specialists to cope with them instead. Crime dropped.
Germany鈥檚 recipe for lockdown: Reduced hours, not layoffsIn Germany, business and government split responsibility for supporting workers鈥� income amid the lockdown 鈥� while letting workers stay on the job.
