It’s hard to overstate the importance of the firewall against the far-right in German political culture. Remembrance of the Holocaust plays a fundamental role in modern Germany. Before Wednesday’s vote, the Bundestag held its yearly commemoration for the victims of the Nazis, during which 88-year-old Holocaust survivor Roman Schwarzmann addressed …

A man died in a “very large” avalanche in the French Alps on Tuesday, local officials have confirmed. The body of the dual Brazilian-Portuguese national was found in the resort of Les Grands Montets at the foot of Mont Blanc, rescuers said. The avalanche, which occurred around 16:35 local time …

Separately, the governor of the region of Smolensk, Vasily Anokhin, said on Telegram that a “massive” drone attack against “civilian infrastructure” had occurred in his region, although no casualties were immediately reported. Anokhin said one of the drones had been shot down when attempting to hit a nuclear power facility. …

Long-time leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, once dubbed “Europe’s last dictator”, has been re-elected president with 86.8% of the vote. The result has been condemned as a sham by Lukashenko’s opponents and Western governments. There were four other names on the ballot – carefully chosen to present no challenge to …

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has taken a personal interest in the museum’s problems, will visit the Louvre on Wednesday amid speculation that he may announce a new investment plan. However his powers have been significantly curtailed since he lost control of parliament six months ago, and the precarious state …

Students have taken the lead with the protests, halting traffic daily and blockading universities for months. Last week, businesses across Serbia heeded the students’ call to take part in a general strike with tens of thousands of people demonstrating in Belgrade. On Monday, students staged a 24-hour blockade of the …

It was Christmas 2011, a year after Roman Abramovich had taken delivery of his new superyacht, Eclipse. But it seemed the oligarch would not be using it over the festive period – records show it had been chartered by a company based in the British Virgin Islands. And yet photographs …

Sophiia’s father, 60-year-old Serhiy Lushchay, is by her side – a robust figure who shares her loss and her sorrow. “We visit the graveyard often,” Yuliia says, “and we will as long as we live, because it truly makes it a little easy for us”. Every time they come, there …

Survivors from Auschwitz have begun commemorations on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp in Poland. People walked up to the ‘death wall’ and left candles to pay their respects outside Block 11 in Auschwitz, where thousands of prisoners were executed by SS officers. Polish President …

Belgian footballer Radja Nainggolan has been arrested as part of an investigation into cocaine trafficking. The 36-year-old was one of several suspects apprehended by Belgian police on Monday morning, after a series of raids were carried out across the country. “The investigation concerns alleged facts of importation of cocaine from …

I have reported on many elections. I have seen prime ministers and presidents roll up at polling stations, cast ballots and then take a few questions from reporters. But I have never seen anything quite like the scene at Polling Station 478 in Minsk. Long-time leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, …

German historian Susanne Willems speaks lovingly of the survivors she has met over several decades: “Many were like favourite grandfathers to me. Of course we’ve lost many of them and it’s my duty to carry on and become their witness.” There will be no political speeches from international leaders beside …

Riot police have clashed with protesters in Athens, after thousands of people gathered to demand justice for victims of Greece’s worst railway disaster, which killed 57 people. In 2023, a passenger service carrying 350 people collided with a freight train near the Greek village of Tempi, causing the front carriages …

Four-and-a-half years ago, at a different enterprise, the leader of Belarus received a much cooler reception. One week after the 2020 presidential election, Alexander Lukashenko visited the Minsk Wheels Tractor Plant. Leaked video showed him being jeered and heckled by workers. They shouted ‘”Go away! Go away!”. In 2020 the …

Greenpeace told BBC Verify that the final number of dead birds could be far higher, citing the 12,000-13,000 killed by the 2007 spill in the strait. A dolphin rehabilitation centre in Russia’s Krasnodar Territory told Interfax news agency that around 70 dead dolphins have been discovered on the shores following …

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya believes the ongoing repression shows that Lukashenko and his allies are afraid. “The trauma of 2020 is still alive and he has to eliminate any possibility of uprising,” the opposition leader argues. “He knows the Belarusians didn’t accept or forgive him, and they still want change.” But she …

The case has sparked a debate about attitudes toward marital consent and women’s rights in France. Lilia Mhissen, H.W.’s lawyer, said the decision dismantled the outdated concept of “marital duty” and called for French courts to align with modern views on consent and equality. Women’s rights groups supporting H.W. said …

So what are the jokes that are making Ukrainians laugh? This kind of humour is grim, says comedian Hanna Kochehura, but making fun of the danger makes it easier to cope with. “It looks even darker from abroad, and it’s clear why. Anyone who’s in Ukraine knows that there are …

Speaking to reporters shortly after the debate, Fico accused the opposition of trying to overthrow his democratically elected government, a coalition of leftist, nationalist and populist parties. “I can’t give you names and I can’t discuss the circumstances, but I can tell you in all seriousness that the Slovak opposition …

It is not clear where the wounded are being treated, nor even when and to what extent they will be replaced. But the figures point to an extraordinarily high cost being incurred by President Vladimir Putin’s ally, akin Kim Jong Un, as he seeks to help him evict Ukrainian forces …