Esme Nicholson

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

President Trump's 39% tariff on goods from Switzerland is among the world's steepest import taxes. For the European nation, the announcement comes at an unwelcome time.

The head of parliament banned the rainbow flag from the legislative building. Far-right groups have rallied against the LGBTQ+ community and attacks are on the rise. It all casts a shadow over Pride.

Karol Nawrocki, a 42-year-old historian and amateur boxer, is new to politics and ran as an independent but was backed by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party.

In Germany, lawmakers have approved changes to the constitution to allow for unprecedented spending on defense. The historic vote brings an end to decades of austerity.

Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz has struck a groundbreaking deal with the Green party. The agreement ends a tradition of fiscal austerity in order to rearm, help Ukraine and build infrastructure.

With Germany's election in six weeks, Elon Musk was full of praise for his livestream guest on X: Alice Weidel, the far-right Alternative for Germany party's candidate for chancellor.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she had to consider whether she is a "feminist." She joined NPR's Mary Louise Kelly to discuss her new memoir, Freedom.

Voters in a small German town added the name of a third man to their ballot papers who they thought would be more suitable than those officially running. He politely turned down the opportunity.