Europe

European court condemns CIA in landmark ruling
A European court issued a landmark ruling Thursday that condemned the CIA's "extraordinary renditions" programs and bolstered those who say they were ...
New-found tale could be Hans Christian Andersen's
For years, the somber fairy tale about a lonely candle that wanted to be lit dwelt in oblivion at the bottom of a box in Denmark's National Archives.
Turkey Patriot defenses to be ready next month
The Patriot air defense missiles being deployed to protect Turkey from spillover from Syria's civil war will become operational at the end of January, ...
French former spy chief cleared of 2 counts
A Paris appeals court has rejected two of three charges against the former head of France's domestic intelligence agency over allegedly illegal ...
5 killed in Russian building collapse
Five workers have been killed in the collapse of a building that was under construction in the Russian city of Taganrog, and rescuers are searching ...
Paris gets ice rink in palatial setting
Parisians and tourists can now glide and sway — or stumble— at an ice rink under the vaulted glass dome of the landmark Grand Palais. The seasonal ...
Rescuers abandon efforts to save beached whale
Rescuers called off attempts Thursday to save a humpback whale that beached itself on a sand bank off the northern Dutch coast, saying the animal is ...
Vatican austerity means donated nativity scene
The Vatican has happily accepted a donated Nativity scene for St. Peter's Square this Christmas after a previous setup costing €550,000 ($717,000) was ...
Protesters slam Turkish coup plot trial
Turkish police on Thursday used pepper spray and water cannons to push back hundreds of protesters trying to enter a courthouse where prosecutors were ...
German who received terror training jailed
A German man has been convicted on terrorism charges and given a four years and three months prison sentence for being a member of a group that ...
Russian opposition refused permission for rally
The Moscow city government on Thursday said it will not allow a rally marking the anti-Putin protest movement's first anniversary, but opposition ...
5 Danes convicted of arson, acquitted of terror
Five left-wing extremists have been convicted of arson attacks on Danish buildings, including a police academy and two banks, but were acquitted of ...
Poland's last communist era leader in hospital
A doctor says that the life of Poland's last communist leader hospitalized after a heavy nosebleed is not in danger. Hospital spokesman Piotr ...
US legal experts find problems in Tymoshenko trial
A U.S. law firm hired by the Ukrainian government has concluded that the trial of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was rife with problems ...
Swedish volunteer dies after Pakistan shooting
Sweden's government says an elderly Swedish woman who was shot by a gunman while working as a volunteer in Pakistan has died from her wounds.
Russia acknowledges Assad losing control
Syria's most powerful ally, Russia, said for the first time Thursday that President Bashar Assad is losing control of his country and the rebels might ...
Spain seizes $36.5 mln in Mubarak-linked assets
Spanish police say they have seized some €28 million ($36.5 million) of assets linked to deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. A police statement ...
UK police: Jimmy Savile is suspect in 199 crimes
The late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile is a suspect in 199 crimes recorded so far, including dozens of cases of rape, British police said Wednesday.
Notre Dame Cathedral kicks off 850th birthday
Dignitaries, tourists and Parisians gathered in the thousands Wednesday for a ceremony and Mass marking the beginning of year-long commemoration of ...
Cruise liner fixed after having accident in France
A Costa Crociere cruise liner has continued on its Mediterranean voyage after a collision in the port of Marseille caused a one-day delay. The Costa ...
German officials seek 2 over suspect device
German officials say a device found on a railway station platform in Bonn could have caused a dangerous explosion if detonated, and they're looking ...
UK officer punished for passing nuclear secrets
A Royal Navy petty officer who worked on nuclear submarines was sentenced to eight years in prison Wednesday for passing secrets to British agents ...
NATO sets up new HQ for allied special forces
NATO opened a new headquarters complex for its special forces Wednesday as part of a larger move aimed at offsetting the effects of deep defense cuts ...
Pope hits 1M mark as he tweets: 'Dear Friends... '
Pope Benedict XVI hit the 1 million Twitter follower mark on Wednesday as he sent his first tweet from his new account, blessing his online fans and ...
Macedonia expresses 'regret' on EU talks delay
Macedonia's government on Wednesday expressed "regret" after again failing to secure a date to start membership talks with the European Union, a ...