Europe

UN urges peaceful resolution in Italy-India spat
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for a peaceful resolution to a dispute between Italy and India over the fate of two Italian ...
First steps on becoming a pope
The pomp surrounding his selection was just the beginning of an exceptionally busy few days for Pope Francis. A look at the first night — and what ...
Official text of Pope Francis' 1st speech to world
The following is the Vatican's official English translation of Pope Francis' speech "Urbi et Orbi" delivered in Italian from the central balcony of St
New pope is 1st Francis, saint of peace, poverty
In choosing a name no other pope had ever taken, Pope Francis could be signaling that he sees the need for change in the Roman Catholic church.
Obama sends prayers, warm wishes to new pope
President Barack Obama offered prayers and warm wishes Wednesday to the newly elected pope, applauding the selection of the first pope from the ...
LATIN PRIDE
Paolo Olivares, a 29-year-old seminarian from Chile, said it was very important to have a Latin American pope. "Yes, yes, yes! I think it's a change ...
A NAME WITH CACHET
"Francis" is a name that carries a lot of cachet in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi is one of Italy's patron saints. The Umbrian hill town of Assisi, ...
Francis without Roman numeral
The Vatican says the new pope's official name is Pope Francis, without a Roman numeral. Spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi sought to clear up any ...
SURPRISE IN THE CROWD
The flag-waving crowd at St. Peter's Square was cheering madly but many people admitted they didn't know anything about the new pope. "I really don't ...
FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Francis, the name the new pope has chosen, is a much-beloved Italian saint who is identified with peace, poverty and a simple lifestyle.
Catholic church has new pope; white smoke rises
The Catholic church has chosen a new pope. White smoke is billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning 115 cardinals in a papal conclave ...
Sea gull perches on Sistine Chapel smoke stack
With no pope, a sea gull is stealing the show at the papal conclave. Smoke watching has become bird watching in St. Peter's Square after a sea gull ...
Court delays Berlusconi's sex-for-hire trial
A Milan court on Wednesday delayed former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's sex-for-hire trial after receiving new medical documents confirming that an eye ...
German authorities move against Islamic extremists
German authorities banned three ultraconservative Islamic groups Wednesday and separately announced they had foiled a suspected assassination attempt ...
Rodman backs black papal candidate in PR stunt
After raising eyebrows by going to North Korea, former U.S. basketball star Dennis Rodman is continuing his bizarre global tour by visiting Rome — ...
Vatican: Victim group wrong to criticize cardinals
A church sex abuse victims group is acting out of "negative prejudices" when demanding some cardinals withdraw from the papal election, the Vatican ...
Walesa avoids hate crime charge for anti-gay words
Polish prosecutors say they will not charge former President Lech Walesa with hate crimes for recent remarks deemed offensive to gays. Walesa, a ...
Bulgaria: 4th man sets himself on fire
A Bulgarian man set himself on fire in front of the presidency in the capital, Sofia, and was taken to the hospital with severe burns. The man's ...
Croatia orders withdrawal of its troops from Golan
Croatia's parliament has approved the withdrawal of some 100 peacekeeping troops from the Golan Heights amid fears they could be targeted by Syrian ...
Ingredients of papal conclave smoke signals
The Vatican is revealing what the smoke signals emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney are made of, after the stir caused by how much more distinct ...
Germany warns of returning jihadis
A top German intelligence official says a number of trained Islamic militants who had planned to fight in Mali are returning to Germany, presenting ...
Catholics look to next pope to improve China ties
Shanghai's would-be Catholic bishop has been a virtual prisoner in that city's main seminary for nine months and counting, his penalty for openly ...
LA archdiocese settles 4 sex abuse cases for $10M
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will pay nearly $10 million to settle four cases alleging abuse by a now-defrocked priest who told ...
Black smoke from chapel chimney: No pope yet
This time there was no doubt. There was no new pope yet, and the mystery of who — and when — was as thick as the unmistakable heavy black smoke ...
Obama to attend St. Patrick's Day lunch at Capitol
The White House says Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny will visit the White House next Tuesday. President Barack Obama and Kenny will meet in the Oval ...