The Commission was at pains to show how its disparaged annual Rule of Law Report is already nudging member states to address democratic deficiencies. The level of criticism aimed at Hungary and Poland suggests it has more direct action in mind. he European Commission on Tuesday released its second annual …

Borje lies in northern Albania, but has closer connections to Kosovo – as well as an interesting, if somewhat vague, connection to Bulgaria. At the centre of Borje, a village deep in the mountains dividing Albania and Kosovo, café owner Fatos Ollomani, 49, develops his multiple passions as a local …

Syria accused Israel of carrying out an airstrike in a central province early on Thursday, the second such attack this week. The aerial attack caused material damage, it said. The country’s state news agency quoted an unidentified Syrian military official as saying the air defense systems shot down most of …