These are the corruption allegations that may have gotten a Slovak journalist killed

Jan Kuciak, the Slovak journalist found dead in his home Sunday after being shot, was working on a story about corruption and alleged mafia links to Slovakia’s government when he was killed. In a 3,500-word investigative report published Wednesday by Aktuality.SK, where Kuciak worked, he described the relationships between affiliates of an Italian organized-crime family […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/28/these-are-the-corruption-allegations-that-may-have-gotten-a-slovak-journalist-killed/

Two housemates conspired to commit a ‘bucket list’ murder. Now they’re in prison for life.

To the casual observer, Jemma Lilley and Trudi Lenon lived banal lives in western Australia. The pair shared a three-bedroom home in a Perth suburb, where Lilley worked as a night manager at a supermarket; Lenon was raising two young sons from a previous marriage. Neither of the women had criminal records. But beneath the surface, disturbing […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/28/two-roommates-conspired-to-commit-a-bucket-list-murder-now-theyre-in-prison-for-life/

Turkey’s Erdogan wants to make adultery a crime

The growing rift between Turkey and Europe could have an unexpected side effect: making adultery a crime for Turks. On Feb. 20, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that his country should criminalize adultery in conjunction with a drive to increase penalties on child abuse. “Those who commit these crimes must be excluded from the possibility […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/28/turkeys-erdogan-wants-to-make-adultery-a-crime/

Europe is so cold now that the Arctic appears to be a warm escape

LONDON — Much of Europe woke up to yet another day of a cold spell on Wednesday that may have turned the streets of London, Rome and other capitals into pretty photo scenes but has also cost lives across the continent. Neither London nor Rome usually see temperatures drop below freezing point during winters. Europeans seeking to escape […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/28/europe-is-so-cold-now-that-the-arctic-appears-to-be-a-warm-escape/

German village votes to keep bell inscribed with ‘Everything for the Fatherland, Adolf Hitler’

In the tower of a church in a pastoral village in southwestern Germany, there is no mistaking the Nazi origin of one of its bells. A swastika is displayed front and center on the weathered instrument. Above the symbol is an inscription in capital letters: “EVERYTHING FOR THE FATHERLAND,” it states in German. “ADOLF HITLER.” Since 1934, the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/german-village-votes-to-keep-bell-inscribed-with-everything-for-the-fatherland-adolf-hitler/

In Thai jail after ‘sex training,’ a model who rattled Russian elite asks U.S. for help

MOSCOW -- A self-described sex expert whose videos highlighted the ties between one of Russia’s richest men and the Kremlin has been jailed in Thailand and is calling for U.S. help, claiming she has information about links between Russia and President Donald Trump. Anastasia Vashukevich, an escort-service worker from Belarus who catapulted to a certain […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/in-thai-jail-after-sex-training-a-model-who-rattled-russian-elite-asks-u-s-for-help/

Will Xi Jinping be China’s ruler for life? The evidence from other countries suggests otherwise.

China's Communist Party announced this week that it planned to abolish the two-term limit on the presidency. In theory, such a change could allow the country's current president, Xi Jinping, to rule for life — a worrying prospect for those who are concerned about his authoritarian tendencies. But does this proposed change mean that Xi will be China's […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/will-xi-jinping-be-chinas-ruler-for-life-the-evidence-from-other-countries-suggests-otherwise/

Africa’s real Wakanda and the struggle to stay uncolonized

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The Marvel Comics movie “Black Panther” has wowed audiences across the United States and around the world, including Africans who have cheered on the African superheroes and their fictional Kingdom of Wakanda. There is a little something for everyone in Wakanda for Africans. The show’s designers seem to have attempted to incorporate […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/africas-real-wakanda-and-the-struggle-to-stay-uncolonized/

Turkey’s president consoled a crying 6-year-old with talk of her glorious death in future combat

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to spot the 6-year-old girl in the crowd, dressed a miniature military uniform and standing at attention. The girl took a deep breath and her bottom lip quivered as Erdogan addressed her during a speech to members of his ruling party. “Look, look, look who’s over there! Girl, what are you doing here?” the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/turkeys-president-consoled-a-crying-6-year-old-with-talk-of-her-glorious-death-in-future-combat/

How a Palestinian teen’s rubber bullet injury to the brain turned to a biking accident overnight

JERUSALEM — At their West Bank home last month, 15-year-old Mohammed al-Tamimi’s family said it was a miracle the teenager was still alive after being shot in the head with a rubber bullet by an Israeli soldier. Mohammed himself only talked a little, still obviously struggling with his injury. A deep scar ran along his […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/how-a-palestinian-teens-rubber-bullet-injury-to-the-brain-turned-to-a-biking-accident-overnight/

Trump reportedly praised Singapore for executing drug dealers. Here’s how they’re killed.

President Trump has been privately praising Singapore, the small city-state once known as the world's most active executioner per capita. This according to Axios, which reported Sunday that the president has been telling friends for months that the death penalty should be imposed on drug dealers in the United States — similar to a policy held for decades by […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/trump-reportedly-praised-singapore-for-executing-drug-dealers-heres-how-theyre-killed/

A German charity barred foreigners from receiving free food. Merkel says that’s wrong.

Essener Tafel is one of the biggest charities in Germany. The organization serves about 16,000 poor people in the city of Essen, an industrial enclave in the country's west. But the charity recently decided to be a little less generous. In December, the group said it will no longer provide free food to foreigners, a change that […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/a-german-charity-barred-foreigners-from-receiving-free-food-merkel-says-thats-wrong/

Israel’s justice minister explains why Trump is good for her West Bank plan

JERUSALEM — The Trump administration has, so far, been less critical of unilateral Israeli policies in the occupied territories compared to its predecessors, and politicians on Israel's right have argued it is time to take advantage. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked is one of them. Shaked, 41, is second-in-command in the ardently Zionist, right-wing Jewish Home party, which draws […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/27/israels-justice-minister-explains-why-trump-is-good-for-her-west-bank-plan/

Police believe a journalist was killed for covering fraud in the heart of Europe

European and Slovak authorities believe that an investigative reporter who was shot to death Sunday in Slovakia was killed because of his reporting on fraud in the central European country. Jan Kuciak, a 27-year-old investigative reporter, and his partner, Marina Kusnirova, were found dead in their apartment Sunday in Velka Maca, a village east of the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/26/police-believe-a-journalist-was-murdered-for-covering-fraud-in-the-heart-of-europe/

Bollywood icon Sridevi dies by accidentally drowning in hotel bathtub

NEW DELHI — Iconic movie star Sridevi Kapoor died late Saturday night after accidentally drowning in a hotel bathtub, a post mortem report says. Kapoor's death has prompted an outpouring of grief by movie stars, politicians and fans in India, where she was celebrated for depicting strong female characters on screen. Known to fans by […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/26/bollywood-icon-sridevi-dies-by-accidentally-drowning-in-hotel-bathtub/

‘Beast from the East’ winter storm sweeps Europe, sending temperatures plummeting

  LONDON — The “Beast from the East” has arrived. Sweeping in from Siberia, the monster winter storm has brought rare snow to Rome and bitter winds will cause some parts of Britain to feel colder than the Arctic Circle this week. Temperatures are expected to plummet to as low as 5 degrees (minus 15 Celsius) […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/26/beast-from-the-east-winter-storm-sweeps-europe-sending-temperatures-plummeting/

A severed head was found in the rental apartment of a U.S. tourist in Japan

She told her friends she was going to see an American for a date. They'd met, she said, on an app. She shared the same with her Instagram followers, posting on Feb. 15 that she was off to "meet Jay." Now, the 27-year-old worker is dead. Her severed head was found in a suitcase in the rental apartment of New Yorker Yevgeniy […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/25/a-severed-head-was-found-in-the-rental-apartment-of-a-u-s-tourist-in-japan/

One of Hollywood’s favorite diamond dealers has vanished amid an epic Indian fraud case

For years, Hollywood and Bollywood A-listers have sought out Nirav Modi and his diamonds. The self-described haute diamantaire, a descendant of a family of jewel merchants who launched his own brand in 2010, has been draping actresses like Naomi Watts, Taraji P. Henson, and Lisa Hayden in shiny things for years. His name graces stores […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/24/one-of-hollywoods-favorite-diamond-dealers-has-vanished-amid-an-epic-indian-fraud-case/

French customs stumbled upon a stolen $1 million painting in an unlikely place

The 1877 monotype “Les Choristes” (The Chorus Singers) by Edgar Degas is distinctive for at least two reasons. First, the French impressionist depicted dancers so often that this work is the only operatic scene he painted that omits them. Second, it was stolen in a mysterious December 2009 heist after thieves unscrewed it from the wall one […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/24/french-customs-stumbled-upon-a-stolen-1-million-painting-in-an-unlikely-place/

The Mueller indictment mentioned the ‘Hapsburg group.’ Now European ex-politicians are under scrutiny.

In an indictment updated Friday, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III accused Paul Manafort and Rick Gates of secretly retaining “a group of former senior European politicians to take positions favorable to Ukraine, including by lobbying in the United States.” These former European leaders would claim to provide independent assessments of the Kiev government, but would in […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/24/after-hapsburg-group-disclosure-in-mueller-indictment-former-european-politicians-come-under-scrutiny/

What we know about the shadowy Russian mercenary firm behind the attack on U.S. troops in Syria

One of the most complicated episodes in Syria's ever-twisting war took place  on the night of Feb. 7. In that incident, U.S. troops and their Syrian allies near the town of Deir al Zour were attacked by hundreds of pro-regime troops. The Americans responded with a devastating attack that the U.S. said left about 100 dead. […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/what-we-know-about-the-shadowy-russian-mercenary-firm-behind-the-attack-on-u-s-troops-in-syria/

Nigerians are demanding answers after another potential Boko Haram kidnapping

It's been more than three years since Nigeria's government declared victory over Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group, but that assertion has been put to the test several times in the last few months. In November, Boko Haram terrorists conducted bombings in Nigeria that killed dozens of people. The next month, the group attacked a Nigerian army […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/nigerians-are-demanding-answers-after-another-potential-boko-haram-kidnapping/

Canada’s health-care system is a point of national pride. But a study shows it might be stalled.

TORONTO — When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation asked Canadians to pick the greatest-ever Canadian in 2004, they did not select hockey star Wayne Gretzky or Nobel laureate Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin. They chose Tommy Douglas, who almost lost a leg to a bone infection as a boy because his parents couldn’t afford his […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/canadas-health-care-system-is-a-point-of-national-pride-but-a-study-shows-it-might-be-stalled/

USCIS director who eliminated ‘nation of immigrants’ is the son of an immigrant

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, who eliminated the words “nation of immigrants” from his agency's mission statement Thursday, is the proud son of an immigrant. At least that was Lee Francis Cissna's position before he got the job leading the government agency tasked with processing legal immigration and citizenship applications to this country. […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/uscis-director-who-eliminated-nation-of-immigrants-is-the-son-of-an-immigrant/

His brain-damaged toddler is about to die. But this father isn’t allowed to say goodbye.

A British father has been prohibited from visiting his hospitalized toddler, a severely brain-damaged boy who has spent the first year of his life in intensive care — and who will soon die. Lanre Haastrup was banned from King's College Hospital in London last weekend, after staff accused him of being verbally abusive. In an urgent appeal to […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/his-brain-damaged-toddler-is-about-to-die-but-this-father-isnt-allowed-to-say-goodbye/

Even in the 21st century, powerful families still shape democracies across the world

When presidential advisor Ivanka Trump arrived in South Korea on Friday, the White House stressed that she was only in the country to represent the United States at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics closing ceremony. But apart from being an adviser to the president, Ivanka Trump of course is also his daughter. Her double role quickly drew comparisons […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/23/even-in-the-21st-century-powerful-families-still-shape-democracies-across-the-world/

India to Justin Trudeau: Stop trying so hard

NEW DELHI — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cannot catch a break in India. Trudeau, accustomed to being praised for his Prince Charming good looks, is getting a lot of flak on his tour of India, and the latest gags focus on his razzle-dazzle wardrobe, upstaging even India's flamboyant movie stars. Offending garments include Trudeau's long, multicolored […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/india-to-justin-trudeau-stop-trying-so-hard/

China says controversy over ‘racist’ blackface skit was designed to undermine relations with Africa

A skit at state broadcaster CCTV's annual Lunar New Year gala recently caused headlines around the world after it featured a Chinese actress in blackface with huge prosthetic buttocks portraying an African woman, along with tribal dancers and monkeys. As one observer put it, the skit was “cringe-worthy at best, completely racist at worst.” This week, Beijing […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/china-says-controversy-over-racist-blackface-skit-was-designed-to-undermine-relations-with-africa/

This man’s brain tumor was so big that it ‘sat like a head on top of another head’

For the past several years, Santlal Pal had been watching a tumor emerge from his skull. Doctors in India say Pal's brain tumor grew so big that it weighed nearly four pounds and measured nearly 8-by-12-by-12 inches, according to local news reports. It may have been the largest tumor in the world. But now it […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/this-mans-brain-tumor-was-so-big-that-it-sat-like-a-head-on-top-of-another-head/

Fewer women want to be scientists in wealthy, equal countries

Getting more women into science and math jobs is a challenge across the world. Worldwide, 74 percent of STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — employees are male. The imbalance is biggest in fields such as computer science and physics, and smallest in life sciences and medicine. But as countries become wealthier and more focused on […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/even-in-countries-stressing-gender-equality-fewer-women-want-to-be-scientists/

British Prime Minister Theresa May just got called out on live TV for the Grenfell fire

LONDON — The fire burned for hours, ripping through a 24-story apartment block, in one of London’s richest boroughs. Video footage showed desperate residents banging on windows and begging for help. Children disappeared behind clouds of smoke, never to be seen again. Inside Grenfell Tower, residents were presented with few options: Stay, flee, or jump. […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/british-prime-minister-theresa-may-just-got-called-out-on-live-tv-for-the-grenfell-fire/

Trump wants teachers in the U.S. to be armed. Other countries have different ideas

BERLIN — At first, the hour-long Trump meeting with students who survived last week’s Florida school shooting appeared to be an open discussion about ways to stop the killing. In Europe, it reminded some stakeholders of how they first began to brainstorm ideas, following a devastating string of school shootings here between 2002 and 2009. “Does anyone have any […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/trump-wants-teachers-in-the-u-s-to-be-armed-other-countries-have-different-ideas/

Europe is rewriting dark chapters of its past, and 6 other global stories you might have missed

In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week. This week: In laws, rhetoric and acts of violence, Europe is rewriting dark chapters of its past. The biggest story: History, rewritten After President Trump blamed “both sides” for violence in Charlottesville in August during dueling […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/22/europe-is-rewriting-dark-chapters-of-its-past-and-6-other-global-stories-you-might-have-missed/

How Billy Graham took his crusade to North Korea

Billy Graham, a charismatic American evangelist, died Wednesday at the age of 99. He was often known as “America's pastor,” but his influence extended around the world, and he was well known for traveling abroad to poor nations and international war zones as well as taking positions on contentious foreign-policy issues. One of Graham's most significant […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/21/how-billy-graham-took-his-crusade-to-north-korea/

China’s caves are hiding plants that exist nowhere else in the world

our paper on discovery of a diverse #cave #flora in #China just out https://t.co/aHyaGAZDEx & accompanying post https://t.co/ckcjTRBrXh @KewScience #karst pic.twitter.com/mouL81T0Pc — Alex Monro (@alexmonro) February 7, 2018 At first glance, a cave doesn't seem the likeliest home for exotically lush flora. It's dark, damp and dingy, more likely to host sparkly stalagmites than bristly bushes. It […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/21/chinas-caves-are-hiding-plants-that-exist-nowhere-else-in-the-world/

How Billy Graham-inspired megachurches are taking over the world

The death of charismatic evangelist Billy Graham on Wednesday put an end to his six decades-long presence as “America's pastor” that reverberated far beyond U.S. borders. Apart from reaching millions through books and columns in newspapers, Graham also inspired a movement that is only now becoming truly global: mass rallies at megachurches. Often located in stadium-like venues, these […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/21/how-billy-graham-inspired-megachurches-are-taking-over-the-world/

Germany won’t become the ‘leader of the free world’ after all, and the Germans don’t mind

BERLIN — One of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s most distinctive character traits has been caution. For years, it served her well and helped her to sideline rivals and other rising stars. Her governing style eventually led to criticism at home for putting the nation into a “deep sleep” by refraining from clashing with her opponents, but she was still hailed as […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/21/germany-wont-become-the-leader-of-the-free-world-after-all-and-germans-dont-mind/

Donald Trump Jr. says he likes India’s poor people because they ‘smile’

Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, is in India this week to promote his family’s real estate empire and more than $1 billion worth of luxury Trump Tower projects in four cities, but he still had time to praise India’s poor for their smiles. “I don't want to be glib but you can see […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/donald-trump-jr-says-he-likes-indias-poor-people-because-they-smile/

The desperate images from one of Syria’s bloodiest days

It was among the bloodiest days of Syria’s war. In the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, doctors worked around the clock. Families huddled across basements and bedrooms, sticking close together so they didn’t die alone. Monitoring groups and rescue workers said that at least 200 people had been killed in a two-day bombardment, with […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/the-desperate-images-from-one-of-syrias-bloodiest-days/

Venezuela’s Maduro just invited Trump to hang out over Twitter

Relations between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and President Trump have been pretty frosty of late. So Maduro tried something new to get Trump's attention: Twitter. Tuesday morning, the Venezuelan leader jumped online to ask for talks between the two countries. .@RealDonaldTrump hizo campaña promoviendo la no intromisión en los asuntos internos de otros países. Llegó el momento […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/venezuelas-maduro-just-invited-trump-to-hang-out-over-twitter/

Russia’s election boss warns of ‘fake news’ designed to undermine Kremlin vote

With Russia's presidential election less than a month away, the country's top electoral official has warned of attempts to influence the vote with “fake news.” “Given the current climate, when not a single day passes without Russia getting accused of everything bad under the sun, a wave of discrediting the election will mount. Huge resources […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/russias-election-boss-warns-of-fake-news-designed-to-undermine-kremlin-vote/

Japanese millionaire dubbed the ‘baby factory’ dad just won custody of 13 surrogate children

In August 2014, Thai authorities stormed the Bangkok condo of Japanese millionaire Mitsutoki Shigeta to find one baby, then another and another, until they counted nine surrogate babies in all, each accompanied by a nanny. Playpens and bottles dotted the mostly unfurnished rooms. “I've never seen a case like this,” the Thailand director of Interpol said about what the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/japanese-millionaire-dubbed-the-baby-factory-dad-just-won-custody-of-13-surrogate-children/

Venezuela launches the ‘petro,’ its cryptocurrency

CARACAS, Venezuela — Crisis-ridden Venezuela is launching an oil-backed cryptocurrency Tuesday that it hopes will help circumvent U.S. financial sanctions and resurrect the country’s moribund economy. The pre-sale of the “petro,” which will represent a barrel of crude from a specific division in the country’s Orinoco oil belt, started Tuesday morning. Investors were offered $60 “tokens” […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/venezuela-launches-the-petro-its-cryptocurrency/

A British woman left this nasty note on an ambulance. Turns out, that’s a crime.

A woman in the United Kingdom has pleaded guilty to a public order offense after she was accused of leaving what paramedics called a “vile” note on an ambulance that was responding to an emergency call. The woman, identified by police as 26-year-old Kirsty Sharman, was in court Tuesday on charges relating to the incident. Authorities said she verbally abused paramedics […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/a-british-woman-left-this-nasty-note-on-an-ambulance-turns-out-thats-a-crime/

U.N. issues blank statement on Syrian violence: ‘No words will do justice to the children killed’

UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, issued a blank statement on Friday to express outrage over the continued suffering of Syrian children and at the justifications used by those inflicting the pain. The statement was released as aid agencies and monitoring groups said that more than 100 people had been killed in government attacks on the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/u-n-issues-blank-statement-on-syrian-violence-no-words-will-do-justice-to-the-children-killed/

Is India’s government ‘snubbing’ Canada’s Justin Trudeau?

NEW DELHI — Justin Trudeau, Canada’s heartthrob leader who has near rock star status in liberal circles, is stumbling to make a good impression on his week-long trip of India — at least according to the local press. Indian media reports that the government here has “snubbed” the Canadian prime minister and that his delegation has […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/is-indias-government-snubbing-canadas-justin-trudeau/

Britain in a stir over accusation that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was a Cold War ‘asset’ for Czech spies

LONDON — The British love their spy dramas. This one is a doozy. Last week, the Sun newspaper published an expose that asserted that Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was once a “paid asset” who had been “recruited” by Cold War Czechoslovakian spies. The tabloid reported that an agent “Lt. Jan Dymic — real name […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/britain-in-a-stir-over-accusation-that-labour-leader-jeremy-corbyn-was-a-cold-war-asset-for-czech-spies/

The European ‘conservatives’ invited to this week’s CPAC conference are the ones Europe didn’t want

BERLIN — When American conservatives assemble for the now iconic Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) later this week, in addition to the newly powerful luminaries of America’s right wing, they will also hear a number of European speakers. These stars of Europe’s populist movements may have been invited to Maryland to emphasize the rise of the right worldwide, […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/the-european-conservatives-invited-to-this-weeks-cpac-conference-are-the-ones-europe-didnt-want/

KFC restaurants in the U.K. have a problem. They don’t have chicken.

“The chicken crossed the road, just not to our restaurants.” So said an announcement Saturday that tried to find humor in KFC's chicken shortage, which has prompted the fast-food chain to temporarily close hundreds of its restaurants in the United Kingdom. KFC said the shortage was caused by “a couple of teething problems” with its new delivery partner, […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/19/kfc-restaurants-in-the-u-k-have-a-problem-they-dont-have-chicken/

In the war against election meddling, Italy takes the lead

The 37-page indictment issued by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s team last Friday may have revealed the details of Russia’s efforts to interfere in U.S. elections. But to some, what appeared even more striking were the details about just how vulnerable the United States had become to such — sometimes barely disguised — attempts to sway […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2018/02/19/in-the-war-against-election-meddling-italy-takes-the-lead/