Australian Cardinal George Pell is among the three most powerful people in the Catholic world. Could Pope be next? Vaticanologist Michael Hewitt-Gleeson examines the new power structures in Rome.
Don't think that Ukraine's social unrest will usher in a golden era of social democracy. Unfortunately for the former Eastern bloc state, its future is likely to be more of the same.
Italy has sworn in its youngest prime minister, and Mattew Renzi has big plans. But Rome reporter Josephine McKenna asks: can the former Wheel of Fortune winner now win over a disaffected nation?
British citizens who paid into the UK pension scheme only receive 58 pounds a week from the UK government now they've immigrated to Australia. It's become an expensive drain on Australian taxpayers, reports freelance journalist Ava Hubble.
An Italian gay rights activist went to Sochi -- and got thrown in jail. Crikey intern Luca Zuccaro profiles the former MP, who has had a colourful life -- and more than one brush with Russian homophobes.
Italy's new prime minister, until two months ago the 38-year-old mayor of Florence, is ambitious and models himself on Tony Blair. But he'll have huge challenges ahead of him as he tackles Italy's economic and electoral woes, and no parliamentary majority to aid his rule.
Seven years ago, Meredith Kercher was murdered in Perugia. Last month, an Italian court reconfirmed the conviction for her murder against Amanda Knox and her then-boyfriend. The evidence is overwhelming, so why is the world convinced of Knox's innocence? The Kercher murder is a story of new global class divisions and who benefits from them, says Crikey's writer-at-large.
Mark Galeotti is an important voice on the Sochi Olympics, Vladimir Putin's overarching ambition and all things Russian. Crikey's Follow Friday series explains why you should add him to your feed.
It's getting dirty in the courtroom examining whether Rebekah Brooks, her husband, PA and ex-lover conspired to cover-up phone-hacking at the News of the World. And there's more to come.
The death knell must surely ring out for the UK Independent before too long. But with some British papers still apparently in alright health, can newspapers survive after all?
