Yulia Tymoshenko’s hunger strike and accusations of prison abuse have raised the stakes after her controversial conviction on corruption charges last year. At risk: Ukraine’s hosting of both an upcoming political summit and next month&am
Category: Society
Op-Ed: The Russian Orthodox Church seems more concerned about criticism of its top leaders than about physical attacks on its clergy. Is it suffering a post-Soviet identity crisis?
Analysis: The French incumbent knows the final round runoff requires him to pick up as much as possible of the 18% who voted for right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round. Immigration is the perfect issue, and one Sarkozy has been focused on f
Nicolas Sarkozy has children from three different women. His challenger for France’s presidency, François Hollande had four kids with a former candidate, but they never wed, then split. Struggling with monogamy, disdaining hypocrisy, reveling in
There is a new way to reduce legal costs. Law firms prepare the case and coach their clients, who then defend themselves – without a lawyer – in court.
Red Cross officials in China are in the middle of a scandal, yet again. After being caught paying for restaurant bills and luxury cars with public donations, the latest alleged faux philanthropy employed a bicycle scam to take people for a ride.
In Germany, one-tenth of plastic surgery patients are 20 years old or younger. Right now there’s no minimum age limit, but lawmakers from the conservative Union parties say there should be. All, however, do not agree.
Rates of high blood pressure are particularly high for the growing numbers of older Brazilians. More than half of those over 55 suffer from the condition, also referred to as ‘hypertension.’ Among the causes is the high amounts of salt i
A new program in Moscow aims to give incentives for private developers to restore historical buildings that are on the brink of crumbling. The program’s first auction attracted almost 20 bidders, and it looks like the program may be a win for eve
Esther G. fell in love at the tender age of 16. She didn’t want to have sex, however, unless she was married. And she didn’t want to marry until she was much older. And so she waited – for about 10 years. Was it worth the wait?
Muhammad Yunus Nawandish spent 30 years working in anonymity as an energy-sector engineer, until the call came with an offer he couldn’t refuse. Now, leading his ever complicated home city means putting his past experience to work, like lighting
In 2008, the French government set up a unique training program to teach French values, notably the separation of state and religion, to imams and other Muslim leaders. But many have been reluctant to enroll, and some wonder if the program was doomed from
Essay: Soccer violence is on the rise throughout Latin America. So far, however, leaders have largely ignored the problem. Why? The region’s 70s and 80-era dictatorships may be partly to blame.
Perfect 10, an American magazine and website specializing in “beautiful, natural models,” has a long history of unsuccessful copyright suits. That isn’t stopping it, however, from going after Russian search engine giant Yandex.
Mapping the latest data of surnames in Italy shows that both internal migration and international immigration are changing how this beautiful country calls itself. Rossi has been bumped by Russo, and two Chinese names are in the Top Ten in Milan.
Op-Ed: Greedy landlords and shortsighted politicians are standing in the way of the passage of historic legislation that would better prepare Istanbul and the rest of the country for a major earthquake that experts say is likely to hit.
Twelve sudden deaths have sounded the alarm in the past few weeks for the rare — and 25 million-year-old — freshwater species of porpoise that inhabits the Yangtze River. Referred to as the “Panda of the Water,” the beloved mammal risk
The big surprise in Sunday’s first-round presidential election came from the far right. Marine Le Pen’s National Front won 17.9% of the vote, a record high for the party. President Sarkozy and his Socialist challenger will battle for her voters from both
Smoking lounges are enjoying a comeback in Switzerland. The sixth-floor smoker’s room at the Bon Génie in Geneva, for example, boasts a Mad Men-style ambience and a state-of-the-art ventilation system. Beats having to puff away in the alley out back.
Analysis: François Hollande is well-positioned after Sunday’s first round of voting to take the presidency from Nicolas Sarkozy. But the strong showing by far-right candidate Marine Le Pen confirms that the French Republic is a deeply divided pla
A handful of top German companies recently participated in a government pilot project designed to test the effect that personal details – things like age, sex and appearance – have on hiring practices.
In the Czech Republic, where corruption is rampant, some have decided to make an honest buck out of the dirty dealings: Corruption Tours, or the “Prague Cronies Safari,” shows the spots around Prague where bribes have been passed and fav
Rather than bury your loved ones in a coffin or scatter their ashes in the wind, there is a new way in France to be at one — forever — with nature. Might you consider spending eternity in a “Memory Garden”?
France must not give in to the trap of democratic disillusionment, writes Le Monde’s editor-in-chief. Though the campaign has lacked honest debate about the country’s challenges, French voters on Sunday must exercise their ballot with maximum attention.
It’s Record Shop Day in France, with gigs and exclusive tunes available at music stores, hoping to get people off their computers to do some bona fide ‘social’ shopping. Similar initiatives have been launched elsewhere, but can
A Russian punk-feminist band called Pussy Riot has spent the past two months in jail after singing “Dear God, Chase Out Putin” in a Moscow cathedral. This week Russian police arrested some of their fans too.
A new exhibition in Paris aims to show the fundamental link between Art and Anthropology, the connection between artist and shaman, both conquering chaos through rituals and cathartic masterpieces.
Fine Art and Antique Fairs all around the world are adapting their catalogues to appeal to a new generation of Chinese art collectors. Deep pockets and an appetite for expensive antiques make them the ideal client.
Op-Ed: Switzerland is the only European country where girls are allowed to work as prostitutes beginning at age 16. That’s a reasonable age of sexual consent. But for sex workers, Switzerland lives in sin until it raises the minimum age for prostitution t
Dmitri and Elena Rybolovlev are fighting a brutal battle over the Russian oligarch’s fortune. Tracking down and dividing the epic assets of one of the richest men on the planet is an endless task.
A renowned French sexologist has followed up an in-depth study on men and sex with a survey of female sexuality. Heterosexual women of all ages were asked about their desires, fulfilled or otherwise. For their partners, there’s good news and bad.
Mélenchon’s candidacy has turned the French election upside-down, with his passionate defense of the underclass and mobilization of labor unions. His growing support could cause trouble for Francois Hollande, who had otherwise seemed sure to unseat Sarkoz
In China, nothing says sexy like Maggie Cheung in a tight-fitting mandarin gown. But few people know the real story behind this dress, and how it became so popular in 1920s Shanghai, before disappearing after the revolution — and finding new life today.
French media has long had a thing for First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Nowadays, however, the model turned pop singer is having to share the spotlight with another politician’s partner, former television news presenter Valérie Trierweiler.
Essay: Though hard to bear, we should watch Breivik bask in the spotlight of his trial for the slaughter of 77 people in Norway. Like the youths that opened fire in a Colorado school in 1999, Breivik’s narcissism was fed by mass culture that warp
Yvonne, Germany’s world famous freedom-seeking cow, is set to make her cinema debut in 2014. A deal has already been struck to produce an animated version of her feel-good story.
Accidents involving drivers over 65 are on the rise in Berlin, prompting one researcher to call for mandatory “mobility checks.” Under the plan, seniors would have to take regular skills tests. The expert says older drivers should also receive required me
The Natural History Museum in Switzerland has just opened a fascinating exhibition dedicated to a rather odd subject: poop. Called KK.ZOO, the exhibition is far more pleasant than it sounds. Highlights include a 65-million-year-old T-Rex turd.
Authorities in Switzerland’s Geneva canton would love to bid adieu to the area’s non law-abiding asylum seekers. They’re now offering people a new incentive to ship off on their own accord: cash. But when does the offer go too far?
Near the northern city of Ferrara, a priest has denied communion to a mentally-disabled child, saying that it can only be offered to those who “understand the mystery” of the rite. The parents are taking their case to the European Court