Europe

Right-wing Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders gestures as he talks to Prime Minister Mark Rutte during a national televised debate on Monday. Wilders' Freedom Party had been leading in the polls until recently.

Making Sense Of The Dutch Election — And The Role Geert Wilders May Play

5:38pm March 14, 2017

by Frank Langfitt

Wednesday's election may be political populism's next big test. Wilders' right-wing Freedom Party has led in polls — until recently. Two political analysts put his potential impact in context.

Conservative French presidential candidate Francois Fillon during a visit to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin in January.

World News

Officials Launch Formal Investigation Of French Candidate Francois Fillon

4:46pm March 14, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Preliminary charges center on allegations the center-right presidential nominee paid his wife and children for fake jobs with public funds. Once the favorite, Fillon has faltered under the scandal.

World News

United Kingdom Moves Step Closer To Leaving European Union

4:28pm March 14, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews George Parker, political editor of the Financial Times, about the latest news around Britain's exit from the European Union.

World News

European Leaders Fear Rise Of Populist Candidates

4:28pm March 14, 2017

by Frank Langfitt

The mood in Brussels ranges from deep concern to outright fear as the European Union faces a critical U.S. president and upcoming votes in the Netherlands and France, where populists are campaigning to leave the EU.

Candidate Donald Trump and media magnate Rupert Murdoch (center) at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, last June.

Murdoch And Trump, An Alliance Of Mutual Interest

4:05pm March 14, 2017

by David Folkenflik

The media titan, long accustomed to influence and access when it comes to Australian and British prime ministers, is poised to enjoy similar status with President Trump.

"Many people don't even want to vote," says farmer Erwan Humbert (right), 32, working in his field in Longpont-sur-Orge. "And they don't want to hear about politics anymore."

In A French Town, Voters Try To Make Sense Of An Election Race Like No Other

2:50pm March 14, 2017

by Eleanor Beardsley

The scandals and party infighting in this year's French presidential election have left voters unsure about which candidate to vote for.

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A European court has sided with employers who restrict Muslim women from wearing Islamic headscarves. Here, women wearing niqab visit the Dutch Senate last November, as restrictions on Islamic head coverings were being debated.

Employers' Hijab Ban Isn't 'Direct Discrimination,' European Court Says

12:11pm March 14, 2017

by Bill Chappell

When she was hired in 2003, a receptionist didn't wear a hijab to work. Her attempts to wear one three years later resulted in her being fired.

Solomon Yhdego gained asylum in Germany after escaping Eritrea when he was forced to join the army.

For Refugees In Germany, Hope And Frustration Mark Path Toward Integration

11:21am March 14, 2017

by John Ydstie

Refugees were seen as the answer to Germany's declining population and worker shortage. But the mood has darkened, and those refugees who reach Germany face long waits as they struggle to assimilate.

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World News

Dutch Prime Minister Urges Voters To Reject Far-Right Candidate

7:44am March 14, 2017

by Frank Langfitt

Prime Minister Mark Rutte asks voters to reject anti-immigrant, anti-Islam candidate Geerte Wilders in Wednesday's elections, and halt the spread of political populism.

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An 18th-century etching by artist John Kay depicts the extra tall Charles Byrne, the extra short George Cranstoun, and three contemporaries of more conventional height. Byrne made his living as a professional spectacle, and died at age 22 in 1783.

The Saga Of The Irish Giant's Bones Dismays Medical Ethicists

7:00pm March 13, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Charles Byrne was about 7 feet 7 inches tall, an 18th century marvel whose height came from a pituitary tumor. He asked for privacy in death, but his skeleton is still on display in a London museum.

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