All Europe
First LookChina's 'Belt and Road' initiative arrives in Europe through ItalyPresident Xi Jinping is visiting Italy with the intent of having the country sign onto China's initiative to improve infrastructure and better its connections with the rest of the world. Italy's U.S. and European allies worry this is another sign of China's growing reach and influence.
Le mot juste: To make women feel welcome at work, France tries ... semanticsHow important is it that a job title reflect your gender? In France, an official change to add feminine titles has people debating whether the change increases equality or lessens it.聽
鈥楩ake news鈥� in Russia: State censorship elicits an outcry鈥楩ake news鈥� in Russia: Protests against new state censorship moves, signed by Putin, invoke universal principles.
For Italy鈥檚 homeless, salvation in selling newspapersA recession and punitive populist policies are exacerbating聽homelessness in聽Italy. One publication is offering purpose and income by putting homeless people to work as newspaper vendors.聽聽
First LookEU to May: no extension without an approved dealBrexit looms, but a deal remains elusive. Prime Minister Theresa May appealed to the EU to extend the March 29 deadline to June 30. Critics say a delay of just a few months could leave the country once again facing a chaotic "no-deal" Brexit.
After Christchurch, Muslims ask: Are we safe in the West?The聽Christchurch attack has shaken Muslims around the world. It was preceded by increasingly Islamophobic rhetoric and hate crimes.
First LookUK scrambles to break 'political paralysis' over BrexitAfter two failed attempts by Prime Minister Theresa May to get Parliament to vote on her proposed exit from the European Union, the speaker of the House of Commons is now requesting something "fundamentally different," and more time to make a deal.聽
Lonely life in the middle for Britain鈥檚 newest political movementBritain鈥檚 breakaway 鈥淚ndependent Group鈥� has been earning an outsized share of polls. But even so, it faces a battle to become a player in Parliament.
First LookManhunt underway as Utrecht tram shooting leaves three deadThe city's mayor said a "terror motive" was the most likely theory. Reacting to the shooting,聽Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said,聽"If it is a terror attack then we have only one answer: our nation, democracy must be stronger than fanaticism and violence."
To make Russia great again, Putin is building roads and bridgesWhy does Vladimir Putin remain so popular among Russians? One key reason: He is overseeing the construction of a better Russia in the form of new roads, rails, bridges, and other聽much-needed infrastructure.
May鈥檚 Brexit plan rejected again. Is UK running out of options?The deadline for Brexit is not even three weeks away, and Britain still hasn鈥檛 agreed on what comes next. With time dwindling away, the path forward for Theresa May鈥檚 government and Parliament is narrow.
As Britain plans its exit from EU, Ireland proves a sticking pointMost of the talk in Britain amid the Brexit debate has been about how the fate of the Irish border will affect the United Kingdom. But no less important is the way in which Brexit could change the island of Ireland.
As politics around the world pull apart, can the center rally?Amid the polarization of the world today, some are increasingly calling for a return to the moderate middle. But centrism鈥檚 definition, popularity, and聽practicality all depend on where you are standing.
Can you pay an 18-year-old to be 鈥榗ultured鈥�? France gives it a try.It鈥檚 a centuries-old idea, that in France the government has a key role in promoting culture. President Macron鈥檚 attempt to make art more accessible means meeting young people where they鈥檙e at 鈥� on their mobile phones.
First LookItaly's Mormons get their first temple in Catholic RomeItalian Mormons will no longer have to trek to Switzerland after Italy鈥檚 first Mormon temple opens this month. The new house of worship in the heart of 海角大神ity is a comforting sign of acceptance for the country's 25,000 Mormons.聽
First LookInspired by #MeToo, Serbian woman speaks out against harassmentAfter her boss sexually harassed her for two years, Marija Lukic publicly accused him and has since become a rallying symbol for women across Serbia. It is another example of the #MeToo movement going global, this time in a country that hadn't criminalized sexual harassment until 2017.
First LookMacron calls on voters to support pro-EU candidates in May electionsFrench President Emmanuel Macron is pulling hard for a strong European Union. In a column published Tuesday, he outlines his vision for "European renewal" based on freedom, protection, and progress, while bashing nationalist parties that "offer nothing."
In Russia, getting arrested isn鈥檛 personal. It鈥檚 just business.The vicious nature of Russia鈥檚 business world is usually hidden. But the arrest of a US investment firm founder has drawn back the curtain on how cutthroat and corrupt the Russian business environment can be.
First LookFar-right election gains complicate Estonia coalition talksA surge of support for an anti-immigrant and nationalist party in Estonia's general election will likely upend the typical governing coalition, continuing the trend of far-right parties gaining popularity and power in countries across Europe.
The ExplainerWhy protests are roiling Serbia anew, 20 years after Milo拧evi膰In the ex-Yugoslav state, threats mount to press freedom and political dissent. The ongoing 鈥�1 of 5 million鈥� protests nationwide signal to the government that Serbs have had enough.聽