Europe
Putin will seek another term as Russian president, aiming to extend his rule of over two decades
Vladimir Putin has moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for at least another six years, announcing his candidacy in the presidential election next March that he is all but certain to win.
The IOC confirms Russian athletes can compete at Paris Olympics with approved neutral status
The International Olympic Committee says some Russian athletes will be allowed to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Macron visits Notre Dame, marking 1-year countdown to reopening after the 2019 fire
French President Emmanuel Macron has visited the Notre Dame Cathedral to mark the one-year countdown to its reopening.
French police address fear factor ahead of the Olympic Games after a deadly attack near Eiffel Tower
The bar was already high, but the security challenge ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games only grew with a knife attack last weekend that killed a tourist near the Eiffel Tower.
Pope Francis makes his first public appearances since being stricken by bronchitis
Pope Francis has made his first public appearance outdoors since being stricken by bronchitis two weeks ago, which forced him to cancel a planned trip to the COP-28 climate conference in Dubai.
The UK says it has paid Rwanda $300 million for a blocked asylum deal. No flights have taken off
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under pressure to explain why Britain has paid Rwanda 240 million pounds ($300 million) as part of a blocked asylum plan.
Breast cancer survivors may not need so many mammograms after surgery, UK study suggests
A large British study finds that less frequent screening is just as good as annual mammograms for certain breast cancer survivors.
Danish EU commissioner pulls out of the race for the top job at the European Investment Bank
The European Union鈥檚 powerful antitrust chief has withdrawn as a candidate for the presidency of the European Investment Bank.
As ties warm, Turkey鈥檚 president says Greece may be able to benefit from a Turkish power plant
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country is considering allowing neighboring Greece to benefit from a nuclear power plant that Turkey plans to build near the Black Sea coast.
Dutch police arrest a Syrian accused of sexual violence and other crimes in Syria鈥檚 civil war
A Syrian refugee has been arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of crimes against humanity, including sexual violence, while he was allegedly head of an interrogation team in a militia aligned to the government of President Bashar Assad.
Judge rules against Prince Harry in early stage of libel case against Daily Mail publisher
Prince Harry lost a preliminary round in his libel case against against the publisher of the Daily Mail tabloid over an article that said he tried to hide his efforts to retain publicly funded protection in the U.K. after walking away from his role as a working member of the royal family.
APWeek in Pictures: Europe and Africa
Dec. 1鈥�7, 2023
A military cadet applies lipstick before a National Day parade in Bucharest, Romania.
A ram travels in a rickshaw before a ram fighting competition in Lagos, Nigeria, and rainfall destroys a road in Gamba, Kenya.
A military cadet applies lipstick before a National Day parade in Bucharest, Romania.
A ram travels in a rickshaw before a ram fighting competition in Lagos, Nigeria, and rainfall destroys a road in Gamba, Kenya.
Armenia and Azerbaijan announce deal to exchange POWs and work toward peace treaty
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to exchange prisoners of war and work toward signing a peace treaty in what the European Union is hailing as a major step toward peace in the long-troubled region.
Kremlin foe Navalny鈥檚 lawyers to remain in detention at least through mid-March, Russian court rules
A Moscow court has extended the pre-trial detention of three lawyers who once represented imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Allies of Russian opposition leader Navalny post billboards asking citizens to vote against Putin
Opposition activists in Russia came up with a way to get around Kremlin censorship while urging citizens to vote against President Vladimir Putin in an election next year: billboards disguised as a New Year鈥檚 greeting.
Germany鈥檚 chancellor lights first Hanukkah candle on a huge menorah at Berlin鈥檚 Brandenburg Gate
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed his unwavering support for the Jewish people as he lit the first Hanukkah candle on a huge menorah in front of Berlin鈥檚 iconic Brandenburg Gate.
Denmark鈥檚 parliament adopts a law making it illegal to burn the Quran or other religious texts
A new law has been passed in Denmark鈥檚 parliament that makes it illegal to desecrate any holy text in the country.
Why the Albanian opposition is disrupting parliament with flares, makeshift barricades and fires
For months, Albanian opposition parties have used flares and noise to disrupt Parliament, in protest at what they describe as the authoritarian rule of the governing Socialist Party.
The UK government blames Russian intelligence for prolonged efforts to meddle in British politics
The U.K. government says that Russia鈥檚 intelligence services have targeted high-profile British politicians, civil servants and journalists with cyberespionage and 鈥渕alicious cyberactivity鈥� as part of sustained attempts to interfere in U.K. political processes.
Facing a Conservative revolt, UK leader Sunak says judges won鈥檛 stop him sending migrants to Rwanda
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he will 鈥渄o what is necessary鈥� to revive a blocked deal to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, even if it means ignoring human rights laws.
Russian girl shoots several classmates, leaving 1 dead, before killing herself
State news agencies and authorities in Russia say a girl shot several classmates before killing herself at a school in the city of Bryansk.
Turkish and Greek leaders turn on the charm in Athens as they vow to leave years of animosity behind
Longtime regional rivals Greece and Turkey have made a significant step in mending ties during a visit to Athens by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Putin moves a step closer to a fifth term as president after Russia sets 2024 election date
Lawmaker鈥檚 in Russia have set March 17 as the date for the country鈥檚 2024 presidential election. A scheduling decree unanimously approved by the upper house of the Russian parliament Thursday moves Vladimir Putin closer to a fifth term in office.
A milestone for Notre Dame: 1 year until cathedral reopens to public after devastating fire
When Notre Dame went up in flames in 2019, people who worked in the cathedral felt orphaned. With the reopening of the world-famous Paris landmark drawing closer by the day, they鈥檙e now beginning to picture their return to the place they call home.
Hopes for a Mercosur-EU trade deal fade yet again as leaders meet in Brazil
The heads of state from South America鈥檚 Mercosur trade bloc are in Rio de Janeiro for a meeting that is expected to disappoint members hoping to finalize a deal with the European Union.
A China, EU summit exposes divisions over Ukraine, trade and subsidies
The leaders of China and the European Union have held wide-ranging talks that included their disputes over trade and a deep divide over the war in Ukraine.
China鈥檚 exports in November edged higher for the first time in 7 months, while imports fell
Customs data show that China鈥檚 exports rose in November, indicating that demand may be picking up following months of decline.
UK authorities make arrest following investigation into the sale of unapproved jet engine parts
There鈥檚 been an arrest in the case of suspected unapproved aircraft parts, some of which have wound up on planes operated by leading airlines.
A former Ukrainian lawmaker who fled to Russia found shot dead outside of Moscow
A renegade Ukrainian lawmaker who fled to Russia shortly after Moscow鈥檚 invasion has been found dead near Moscow.
The UK plans to ignore part of its human rights law to revive a Rwanda asylum plan
The U.K. government has published legislation that will let it ignore a part of the country鈥檚 human rights laws in order to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda.
Italian prosecutors say no evidence of Russian secret service role in escape of suspect sought by US
Milan prosecutors say there is no evidence of Russian secret services involvement in the escape from Italian custody of a Russian businessman wanted by the U.S. on sanctions-busting charges.
European Union calls for 鈥渢he beginning of the end鈥� of fossil fuels at COP28 climate talks
This year鈥檚 climate talks should 鈥渕ark the beginning of the end鈥� of fossil fuels the European Commissioner for Climate Action said on Wednesday as the United Nations summit wrapped up its first week.
The UK apologizes to families of 97 Liverpool soccer fans killed in a stadium crush 34 years ago
The British government has apologized to the families of 97 Liverpool soccer fans killed in a stadium crush 34 years ago.
Albania鈥檚 opposition speaks up at the Constitutional Court against ratifying migrant deal with Italy
The opposition in Albania has spoken up at the Constitutional Court against the ratification of a contentious deal the government has signed with Italy to jointly process some asylum applications of migrants arriving in Italy by sea.
A group of Norwegian unions says it will act against Tesla in solidarity with its Swedish colleagues
A conglomerate of unions in Norway says it will take action against Tesla in solidarity with its Swedish colleagues.
A new Dutch parliament has been sworn in after Wilders鈥� victory in the national election 2 weeks ago
A new lower house of the Dutch parliament has been sworn. That鈥檚 two weeks after the far-right party of lawmaker Geert Wilders won a general election in a seismic shift that reverberated through Europe.