For the fourth time in three decades, a divided Italy has named a technocrat as its leader. Is Mario Draghi a model for nations shouldering huge debts? Street art depicting Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi dressed as a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat,...
Allegations of incest in a prominent family are forcing France to come to terms with sexual misconduct that until recently was widely overlooked. A sign on a wall reads “Duhamel, and the others, you will never be in peace,” referring to prominent French...
Russians are keen for change but are not necessarily pinning their hopes on dissident Alexei Navalny as an alternative to Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, 23 January 2013 (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY) Tens of thousands of Russians have taken to the streets in...
Harried journalists often depict complex situations in black and white, and the temptation is especially strong when one is on a bandwagon with reporters convinced of a single narrative. Alexei Navalny has captured the imagination of the West and for many embodies the future of democracy in Russia as an alter-ego to Vladimir Putin. Sarah Lindemann-Komarova has lived in Siberia for 28 years and brings a more nuanced perspective to the story. Little wonder that her article, which notes the skepticism with which many Russians view the Kremlin critic, quickly attracted comments from readers following Navalny’s saga. Ask your students who their political heroes are and why. And who does not like them — and why.
Gutsy prosecutors crippled the Cosa Nostra decades ago. Now, a new trial aims to strike a blow against the ‘Ndrangheta, Italy’s dominant mafia. Anti-Mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri arrives for the trial against more than 300 defendants of the ‘Ndrangheta...
Vladimir Putin has ruled Russia with an iron fist for two decades. Now, dissident Alexei Navalny is testing the Kremlin leader’s enduring grip on power. Demonstrators clash with police during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in...
Despite a Brexit deal with the EU, Boris Johnson’s popularity as UK leader has plunged as COVID-19 wreaks havoc, with his foibles on display. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson departs 10 Downing Street for parliament in London, 30 December 2020. (EPA-EFE/ANDY...
Italy is all chaos, while Britain epitomises civility, right? Think twice, because COVID-19 has helped to turn clichés upside down. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, right, and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in London, 4 February 2020 (Chris J...
The EU has been criticized for inconsistency towards asylum seekers. But some European nations have admitted refugees — who are now paying back. Asylum seekers attend a German language course in Vienna, Austria, 23 February 2016. (EPA/CHRISTIAN BRUNA) The grand...
Violence against Black Americans has thrust U.S. police reforms to the fore. Northern Ireland has grappled with its own history of police prejudice. Northern Ireland’s police crest, Antrim, Northern Ireland, 2 May 2014 (EPA-EFE/PAUL MCERLANE) With their eyes opened to...
U.S. protests over race have given some Russians an excuse to bash America. Others fear street action in Russia is a distant dream. Russians have watched in disbelief as protests have swept the United States over the police killing of black American George Floyd. The...