North Macedonia’s Shrinking Schools
In a pattern seen across the Western Balkans, rural schools are closing or merging as the school-age population continues a steep fall, driven by low birth rates and emigration.
War in Ukraine
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Solutions Journalism
Schools for All
Long consigned to lower-quality schools, Roma in two Czech communities are doing well in mainstream schools thanks to innovative reforms and local political support. From Okraj.
Ukraine Breaks Crucial ‘Link’ to Healing Foreign Soldiers
Red tape has dealt a serious blow to a grassroots Belarusian-Ukrainian project that has successfully rehabilitated hundreds of volunteers who fought for Ukraine.
Rewilding Amid War in the Danube Delta
Even as Russia’s war scars the landscape, conservationists in southern Ukraine are reintroducing lost species to restore Europe’s largest wetland, showing how nature recovery can persist amid conflict.
Ten Saturdays That Might Save a Profession
“The task was insane: prepare someone in a very short time so they can sit at a news desk and not drown.”
How Ukrainian Women are Turning Mourning Into Meaning
“That I was helping others saved me from falling into the abyss of grief,” says the co-founder of a support group.
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Commentary
The AfD’s Success Is a Threat to the Czech Republic
The German far right may find allies in Prague, but its nationalism, pro-Russian sympathies, and hostility toward the EU are fundamentally at odds with Czech interests. From Respekt.
The Return of the Algorithm Men
A scientist who could work anywhere chose Bulgaria.
Why Holding Elections Now May Not Be the Best for Ukraine
Ukraine’s next election is essential for its democratic future, but holding one while the country is still under attack by Russia may undermine the exact democracy it’s meant to preserve. From The Conversation.
The War Criminal Is Dead, but Lies About the Heroic General Live On
Mladic never admitted guilt, and his defense was chillingly simple: “I fought for my nation.”
Latest News
After the Backlash: China’s New Bargain with Central Asia
China’s economic ventures in the region have often met resistance, but Beijing has softened its approach as bilateral ties deepen.
Kosovo’s Ex-President Thaci Sentenced to 25 Years for War Crimes
Three other former KLA commanders also convicted of crimes against civilians and political opponents; charges of crimes against humanity dismissed.
‘Country is a Place in Your Heart’
For Georgia’s first country singer, the genre has a universal language that surpasses geography. From OC Media.
Can Peter Magyar Undo Orbanism Without Repeating It?
Many Hungarians broadly support the new prime minister’s drive to reverse the autocratic trend of the Orban years, although analysts warn of possible backlash.
Rescuing Art From Ukraine’s War Zones
Curators and local officials keep working to save what they can amid Russia’s deliberate strikes on cultural infrastructure and theft of countless artworks.
