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Western Europe

France takes key Mali cities; now the hard part
French-led forces have wrested control of three key cities in northern Mali from al-Qaida-linked militants, but the fighters have escaped with their ...
Prince Charles takes rare ride on London's subway
Royalty means rarely having to mind the gap. Britain's Prince Charles took a ride on the London subway Wednesday — for the first time in a quarter ...
Protesters break into gov't building in Athens
Protesters forced their way into a government building in Greece's latest anti-austerity protests Wednesday, reaching just outside a minister's office ...
US helps Fiat Q4 profit more than double
Fiat SpA, the Italian automaker that controls Chrysler LLC, said Wednesday it had reduced its fourth-quarter losses in Europe last year, helping ...
Cyprus reprints election ballots in Guinness flap
Cyprus has been forced to reprint all 575,000 ballot slips for next month's presidential election after Guinness World Records objected to a ...
Sam Mendes, Tori Amos set for UK National Theatre
The return of director Sam Mendes and a long-awaited musical by Tori Amos are among highlights announced Wednesday for the 50th anniversary season at ...
Cyprus president: Russia ready to help in bailout
Cyprus' president said Wednesday that Russia is ready to join the European Union in putting together a rescue package for the crisis-hit country.
German beer drinking hits post-reunification low
Germans are emptying fewer beer steins these days. Consumption of the national beverage fell by 1.8 percent last year to the lowest level since West ...
Roaming cows create havoc at Mass. cemetery
The vandals that damaged a Massachusetts cemetery this week have pleaded "moo." Police say a small herd of cows knocked over 40 American flags and ...
Dutch court rejects most of Shell spill case
A Dutch court has ruled that a subsidiary of international oil giant Royal Dutch Shell should be held responsible for a pipeline leak poisoning ...
Germany marks 80th anniversary of Hitler's rise
On the 80th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to always fight for their principles and not fall into ...
Roma artist, writer on Nazi atrocities, dies at 79
Ceija Stojka survived three Nazi death camps and then found her life's work: Raising awareness of the Nazis' persecution of Roma — also known as ...
Economic data shows eurozone steadier, still weak
The euro area's economy is showing modest signs of improvement, as new figures Wednesday indicated more consumer optimism and steadier bank finances.
New brand costs dent H&M's Q4 profits
Fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB is to press ahead with its global expansion plans with the opening of over 300 stores this year, even though it ...
Syrian refugee surge tests Sweden's welcome
Wisam Attiki was drawn by the tales of Nordic refuge: All he had to do was set foot in Sweden, his fellow Syrians said, and the rich, peaceful nation ...
Mexico breaks up alleged border sex-slavery cult
Mexican officials broke up a bizarre cult that allegedly ran a sex-slavery ring among its followers on the U.S. border, Mexican immigration ...
Sweden's Nordea overcomes loan losses in 2012
Banking group Nordea AB says it posted record profits in 2012 as a combination of cost-cutting measures and a larger customer base more than offset ...
Cancer drugs give Roche a 2012 profit boost
Growing demand for its cancer medicines and diagnostic tests used by clinical laboratories helped Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG post a modest 2.
Philips loss widens in Q4; sheds division
Royal Philips Electronics NV Tuesday said it will sell the entertainment division which contains many of the consumer products for which it is best ...
US eyes drone base in Africa with al-Qaida in mind
Plans to base unarmed American surveillance drones in the African nation of Niger highlight the Obama administration's growing concern about extremist ...
Italian bank official: Nationalization is possible
The chairman of embattled Italian bank Monte dei Paschi says nationalizing the world's oldest running bank remains "potentially" possible — but ...
WADA calls UCI 'deceitful' in doping probe
The World Anti-Doping Agency called the UCI "deceitful" Tuesday for shutting down its independent doping panel and said it won't participate in an ...
Doctor says not only cyclists used his doping
The doctor at the center of Spain's long-awaited Operation Puerto trial testified Tuesday that athletes from sports other than cycling used his ...
Hilary Mantel wins 2012 Costa Book of the Year
Two-time Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel has snagged the top honor at the Costa Book Awards for her novel "Bring Up the Bodies." The British ...
Syrian activists say 65 bodies found in Aleppo
The bodies of at least 65 people, some with hands tied behind their backs, were found in Syria's northern city of Aleppo Tuesday as the government and ...