Europe

A solemn farewell is unfolding in Vatican City as thousands have gathered to honor Pope Francis, remembered for his devotion to the marginalized and his transformative vision for the Catholic Church. Silence filled the moment before the ceremony began. Applause echoed across St. Peter's Square as the pope’s casket emerged from the great basilica in a dignified procession just after 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). The funeral Mass is being conducted on the basilica’s grand steps, a sacred

Moscow has launched a fresh wave of deadly attacks on Ukraine, defying a public call from US President Donald Trump urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to “STOP!” the aggression. At least eight people lost their lives during overnight drone assaults across multiple regions in Ukraine, coming just one day after Russia carried out its most lethal strike operation since last summer. One such drone strike hit the eastern city of Pavlohrad on Friday, killing three individuals, including a

Despite financial pressures, travelers are still prioritizing their holidays, choosing cost-effective destinations like Egypt, Bulgaria, and Tunisia over pricier traditional hotspots, according to Europe's leading package holiday operator. Tui has observed that budget-conscious travelers, unable to book vacations in popular locations like Spain, are opting for other destinations. Although inflationary pressures have eased, Tui reported that the average holiday prices have stabilized but

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sanctioned an unprecedented defense budget, allocating nearly one-third of the government's total expenditures as the prolonged war in Ukraine continues to strain resources on both sides after almost three years. Announced on Sunday, the 2025 budget designates approximately $126 billion (13.5 trillion rubles) for national defense, representing 32.5% of state spending. This new allocation surpasses the previous record set for this year by a significant

CHISINAU, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Moldovans headed to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election that has been marred by accusations of interference. The result of the vote will help define whether Moscow can regain some influence over this small nation, which is striving to strengthen relations with the European Union. Incumbent President Maia Sandu, a pro-Western leader who has fast-tracked Moldova away from Russia's sphere of influence and toward EU membership, faces off against Alexandr

Emergency declared in Southeastern Russia as cross-border clashes erupt Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of orchestrating what he described as a “serious provocation.” This statement followed Moscow’s claim of a large-scale cross-border assault in the Kursk region, located in the southwestern part of Russia. Alexey Smirnov, the region’s interim governor, has declared a state of emergency following two intense days of combat. Russia-Ukraine War: Key Events on Day 895 Heavy

MADRID (AP) — On Tuesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declined to testify at the official residence as part of an ongoing probe into accusations of corruption involving his wife, according to legal representatives. Sánchez, a longstanding figure among socialist leaders in Europe, is not legally compelled to provide testimony against his wife, as dictated by Spanish law. The brief session, lasting only a few minutes, saw Sánchez invoke his right to remain silent, according to several

PM Keir Starmer Faces Pressure From MPs and Activists to End the Two-Child Benefit Cap. But Will He? The UK’s newly installed Labour government finds itself under increasing pressure to lift benefit restrictions on parents—policies that were previously enforced by the Conservative administration. On Tuesday, the government withstood an emergency vote proposed by the Scottish National Party (SNP) to eliminate the two-child limit on family benefits. This contentious policy, however, remains in

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities announced Sunday that over 50 individuals were detained after violent confrontations between police and demonstrators intending to disrupt a march attended by hundreds of far-right activists in the Austrian capital. The protests, which unfolded on Saturday, occurred as Austria's political landscape heats up ahead of the September parliamentary elections, where significant gains by far-right parties are widely anticipated. According to the Austrian Press Agency,

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian artillery strikes in the Kherson region of Ukraine claimed the lives of two individuals, local authorities announced, as the two nations engaged in a series of drone offensives throughout Friday night, into the early hours of Saturday. Two additional individuals sustained injuries in the shelling near the regional capital, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of the partially occupied Kherson region. In Russia’s southern Rostov province, a drone strike by

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian rights organization revealed on Thursday that at least 10 political prisoners have been released, following a commitment made this week by the nation's authoritarian leader to set seriously ill detainees free, all of whom were imprisoned in relation to mass protests nearly four years ago. Pavel Sapelko, a representative from the Viasna human rights group, informed The Associated Press that those who were released are not prominent individuals whose