Random Krazy Thots: Episode 3

Russia's President Putin is set to bask in the global limelight as a series of high-profile conferences on security in Europe kicks off this week. What could be better for an autocratic ruler, says DW's Bernd Riegert.

US President Joe Biden's speech in Warsaw had strong words for Vladimir Putin, but even stronger words in support of a free world. DW's Bartosz Dudek writes that Biden may just have made history.

Two weeks from now, France will know who is into the second round of the presidential election. The candidates will then enter a crucial final two-week period when the gloves are expected to come off in the battle to win votes. This weekend saw a last-ditch attempt by far-right pundit Eric Zemmour to win back support after losing momentum. Meanwhile, the far left’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon is rising in the polls but incumbent Emmanuel Macron, the favourite to win, remains well ahead. Andrew Smith of Chichester University spoke to us about where the campaign stands.

The 13-time French Open champion is philosophical about the lack of ranking points on offer at the next Grand Slam, Wimbledon.

Author Julia Stachiwska was forced to flee her home in Bucha. Although she could now return, she would not find safety there, as she writes for DW.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired leading security officials in the middle of a war. But the president's public rebuke only obscures the real problem: lack of reform, says Eugen Theise.

The ECB bank has raised key rates by 50 basis points, more than it had signaled. The hike could hurt its credibility as being predictable, but that's a small price to pay in these unusual times, says Ashutosh Pandey.

Macron is in a unique position to urge his opposite number, Paul Biya, to embrace inclusive peace talks to end the nearly six-year conflict devastating Cameroon's Anglophone regions, writes Rebecca Tinsley.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's resentment of UN peacekeepers is a wake-up call and offers an opportunity for introspection. The UN must change its approach to missions in Africa's hot spots, writes DW's George Okach.

Voter defiance and the emergence of a strong challenger are increasing the pressure on Angolan President Joao Lourenco, writes Marcio Pessoa.

Starting with Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth saw 15 prime ministers — just. Her final act was replacing a cheerful moral vacuum with a poser with no panache.

Just 24 hours ago, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss shouted emphatically at a raucous House of Commons: "I'm a fighter, not a quitter!" And set herself up for one final U-Turn, writes DW's Zulfikar Abbany.