European Space Agency asks for more cash

Here in northern Europe we've had some very odd weather events in the last few months, including torrential rainfall and deadly floods – which scientists say are a direct consequence of climate change. It's something to focus the mind as leaders and negotiators meet in Glasgow at the United Nations climate summit known as COP26.

In this special edition, we focus on the migrant crisis brewing on the European Union's eastern border. Thousands of people from the Middle East have travelled to Belarus in the hope of entering the EU. Now they are trapped on the border with Poland, desperately trying to survive in freezing conditions. We take a closer look and speak to Kinda Youssef from our InfoMigrants website.

Poland's PM Mateusz Morawiecki slammed Belarus' efforts to use migrants as "weapons" against the bloc ahead of talks with EU leaders. He also accused Belarus of having the "back-room support" of Russian President Putin.

Germany is deep in the midst of its fourth wave, and many of its European neighbors are no better off. Only in southern Europe is the virus still under control.

At least 27 people died as they were attempting to cross from France to England in a rubber dinghy. This tragedy is the result of a collective failure, says Barbara Wesel.

Many of the migrants currently languishing at the Poland-Belarus border come from Iraq. Most of them hail from the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan in the north of the country. This area is often described as a haven of peace, but the reality is somewhat darker. Our correspondent Lucile Wassermann went to meet the Iraqis ready to risk everything to flee their region.

The European rights body has said it will launch disciplinary action over Turkey's repeated refusal to comply with a 2019 ruling to release jailed activist Osman Kavala by the European Court of Human Rights.

Concerns are rising across Europe as a number of countries bring in additional measures to combat a surge in infections.

Across the continent, European governments are introducing restrictions such as limiting opening times for restaurants, pubs and venues.

The EU strives to promote press freedom around the world, but how free are journalists to report inside the bloc? DW reports from Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.

Berlin Zoo bids farewell to Katjuscha the polar bear, who has died at the ripe old age of 37. The elderly bear had been suffering from a heart condition for some time.

Germany's fastest marathon runner has broken record upon record. While Amanal Petros' sporting career could hardly be going any better, he finds it hard to keep his mind off a military conflict back home.