Putin and Xi against the West: Democracy under pressure?

The situation along the border is growing increasingly unstable as fears of a Russian invasion mount. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Russia's foreign minister in an attempt to defuse the tension. Washington wants to limit Moscow's room for maneuver.

US President Joe Biden is hosting a two-day summit on democracy, attended virtually by delegates the world over. Conspicuous by their absence from the guest list are Russia and China. The former accuses Biden of a "Cold War mentality", while the latter dismisses the event as a "joke" reflecting nothing more than sinister imperialism. But what stands to be achieved by such an event? Mark Owen's panel discusses the merits of the Summit for Democracy.

Putin expressed the devastating effect the demise of the USSR had on him and millions of others, admitting he took up driving a cab during hard times, even though he said "it's unpleasant to talk about."

The autocratic leaders of Russia and China railed against Western meddling and praised cooperation between their countries. The two will meet in person at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February.

Putin: 'There were five waves of NATO expansion

US President Joe Biden is expected to offer Russian leader Vladimir Putin a "diplomatic path" to defusing tensions over Ukraine. The West is alarmed at a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine.

On January 6 of last year, thousands of supporters of Donald Trump poured into Washington. They were convinced he had won the 2020 presidential election instead of Joe Biden and were determined to stop Congress from confirming his loss. The rioters stormed the US Capitol building in shocking images seen live around the world. Some 140 police officers were injured, one dying the day after the attack. Four others who guarded the Capitol that day went on to take their own lives. In this special edition, we look back at the events of that fateful day.

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef made a surprise appearance at the 2016 Bobs - DW's award for online activism. Youssef used plenty of sarcasm to describe the state of democracy in Egypt - but also critizised Western media for pointing fingers at others.

Can digitalization strengthen democracy? Does Social Media help or hinder the drive towards equality? And how has COVID impacted journalism in Africa? Just some of the questions being explored at this year's DW Global Media Forum.

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.

Is it better than Putin bargained for? Critics of Geneva talks between Cold War rivals say they reward the Kremlin for its massive troop build-up on the Ukrainian border. Would the United States be sitting down with Russia without the threat of an invasion? Is it better to talk or not to talk?

Iraq is at a crossroads as the losers of the country's recent elections are using violence in an attempt to overturn the results of the vote. At the same time, a genuine opposition is emerging for the first time.