Israeli army finds bodies of 3 hostages in Gaza killed at Oct. 7 music festival

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Friday its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk. A photo of 22-year-old Louk's twisted body in the back of a pickup truck ricocheted around...

Israeli military says it found the bodies of three Israeli hostages in Gaza, including German-Israeli Shani Louk

German parliament approves plans to relax strict restrictions on family names

BERLIN (AP) — The German parliament on Friday approved plans to relax strict restrictions on family names — clearing the way, among other things, for couples to take double-barreled surnames and pass them on to their children. The reform of Germany's rigid rules is due to take...

Germany's parliament lifts immunity for prosecution of a far-right lawmaker

BERLIN (AP) — German lawmakers on Thursday lifted the immunity from prosecution of one of the far-right Alternative for Germany party's top candidates in the upcoming European Parliament election as he faces an investigation. The German parliament's lower house, or Bundestag,...

Memoirs of former German leader Angela Merkel, titled 'Freedom,' will be published in November

BERLIN (AP) — The memoirs of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be released in November, nearly three years after her 16-year tenure leading one of Europe's biggest powers ended. The roughly 700-page volume, titled “Freiheit” ("Freedom"), will be published on Nov. 26,...

Swedish premier hosts German, Nordic leaders to deepen cooperation shadowed by a threat from Russia

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Monday that Nordic and Baltic cooperation is now "deeper than at any time in modern times,” underpinned by increasing security threats from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Kristersson was hosting a...

German court backs intelligence agency's designation of far-right party as suspected extremist case

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's domestic intelligence agency was justified in putting the far-right Alternative for Germany under observation for suspected extremism, a court ruled Monday, rejecting an appeal from the opposition party. The administrative court in Muenster ruled in favor of...

Germany limits cash benefit payments for asylum-seekers. Critics say it's designed to curb migration

EICHSFELD, Germany (AP) — When Erdina Laca goes grocery shopping in Eichsfeld these days, she pulls out a special payment card that’s for asylum-seekers only. She no longer pays in cash for her apples, eggs and fish — like most of the Germans standing in line with her at the...

Russia celebrates victory in World War II as Putin accuses the West of fueling global conflicts

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Thursday wrapped itself in patriotic pageantry for Victory Day, as President Vladimir Putin celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II by hailing his forces fighting in Ukraine and blasting the West for fueling conflicts around the world. Even...

Kosovo prime minister deplores new condition ahead of Council of Europe's membership vote next week

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Kosovo’s prime minister Wednesday deplored the fact that some Western powers reportedly have set another condition ahead of Kosovo's joining the Council of Europe. Kosovo media reported that France and Germany want Kosovo to take a significant step toward...