Valentyn Illustration: Ella Baron/The Guardian Ella Baron Photograph: Ella Baron In Ukraine, many people affected by the conflict are being treated and supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). I was able to meet some of them: in a rehabilitation centre for war veterans in Cherkasy and a mental health clinic for internally displaced families in … Read more
France’s decision to recognise Palestine at the next UN general assembly is an attempt to build momentum for change and make a break from the major western powers’ impassivity in the face of Israel’s mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza. Emmanuel Macron’s declaration, announced in typically dramatic fashion on social media late on Thursday night, … Read more
In some quarters there were misgivings when Switzerland was chosen as host nation for the Women’s Euro 2025. The Swiss track record in women’s football was nothing to write home about. The stadiums would be of a modest size, unable to offer the grandeur and sense of occasion that accompanied games at Wembley or Old … Read more
Just when it seemed that Europe’s moral failure over Gaza was complete, the head of state of one EU country has stood up with a powerful message of moral clarity. King Philippe of Belgium, whose direct political statements are rare, condemned the grave humanitarian abuses in Gaza as “a disgrace to humanity”. In a televised … Read more
Turkey and other parts of the Balkans have been gripped by a heatwave this week, sparking wildfires that have left at least 10 people dead and dozens in hospital. Temperatures intensified at the weekend, peaking at 43C (109F) in Volos, Greece, on Tuesday. Tourist attractions such as the Acropolis were closed by authorities between midday … Read more
What criminal organisations fear most is the written word. That is what a court in Italy has established for the first time. It has taken 17 years for me to see justice done, but it finally came on 14 July. The court of appeals in Rome upheld a 2021 verdict in which the mafia boss … Read more
When Russian troops rolled across the border in 2022, it established a new contract between Ukrainians and their president. The existential need for unity was cemented by admiration for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s courage, and recognition of his ability to articulate the national mood and rally international support. Ordinary politics were suspended. Critics who were already suspicious … Read more
For quite some time, foreign colleagues have been asking me about Ukraine’s democracy during wartime. Often these questions assume that political freedoms vanish by default in a country at war. They ask whether protests or critiques of the government are even possible. Ukraine is a democracy at war – and democracy itself is an existential … Read more
The front pages in Ireland were splashed with yellow last week after Ben Healy became the first Irish cyclist in 38 years to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. While those who cycle sometimes make a point of separating its two forms – sport and transport – they are deeply interlinked, and … Read more
China’s two biggest networks have deployed less than 1 percent of their planned satellites, records show, a measure of how far they are falling behind Elon Musk’s company SpaceX for dominance in space communications. Satellites in low Earth orbit, up to 1,200 miles above the planet, are increasingly seen as essential for driverless cars, drone … Read more