Europe & Russia

The UN Climate Change Conference convened today in Warsaw with a call for governments to reach an agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The talks begin against a public opinion backdrop in which fewer Americans see global climate change as a major threat than do people in most other regions.

The annual Muslim hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca is underway, and more than a million pilgrims already have entered Saudi Arabia from abroad. These are five important facts about the hajj.

The Greek government is preparing to try several lawmakers representing the Golden Dawn, a nationalist and anti-immigrant party that the government describes as “neo-Nazi.” The upcoming trial is related to the fatal stabbing of an anti-fascist rap musician on Sept. 18, by a Golden Dawn sympathizer. Golden Dawn,  a far right wing party whose motto […]

Angela Merkel's high marks on dealing with the euro crisis may be one reason she leads her chief rival Social Democratic chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück.

The American and French publics, who a decade ago bitterly disagreed over the U.S. invasion of Iraq, now see eye-to-eye on the looming military strike against Syria because of its alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people. In principle they both think there are times when it is necessary to use military force […]

The UN Security Council failed Wednesday to reach agreement on a British-sponsored resolution authorizing approval of taking action against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons. A 2011 Pew Research poll found publics in most countries surveyed did not support the principle of obtaining UN approval first.

While the U.S. and several of its allies in NATO review options for military action against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, such action is reportedly not likely to be under the umbrella of NATO. Support for NATO in member countries has waned.

New economic figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed an increase in public spending among developed countries during the global financial crisis, but a survey of European nations indicated publics were now looking to ratchet it down.