French farmers mobilize for protests over EU-Mercosur trade deal

PARIS (AP) — French farmers are mobilizing for widespread protests called Monday targeting the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. They argue the deal threatens their livelihoods by allowing a surge of South American agricultural imports produced under less stringent environmental standards. ...

Georgia election chief doused in paint as protests continue after divisive parliamentary vote

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — The head of Georgia’s Central Electoral Commission was doused with black paint Saturday at a meeting to confirm the results of the country’s divisive Oct. 26 parliamentary elections. Protesters gathered outside the commission's building in Tbilisi, where...

U.S. protectionism could undermine modest growth forecast for eurozone, says EU Commission

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe's economy has left stagnation behind but is headed for only modest growth in coming months as consumers regain some of the purchasing power they lost to inflation, the European Union's executive commission said Friday. The bloc's economy remains at...

UK Treasury chief says she's not satisfied by paltry third-quarter economic growth

LONDON (AP) — Britain's Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said Friday that she is “not satisfied” by official figures showing the British economy's rebound from recession slowed down sharply in the third quarter of the year, as the country's top central banker voiced his concerns about the...

A Croatian corruption investigation snares the health minister and several others

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia's health minister and several others were detained on Friday on suspicion of corruption as part of an investigation launched by the European prosecutor's office, authorities said. Minister Vili Beroš, the directors of two hospitals in the capital...

Hungary's Orbán says sanctions on Russia will 'destroy' EU economy

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The European Union must abandon its policy of sanctioning Russia for its war in Ukraine or risk causing an economic collapse, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told state radio on Friday. The EU has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Moscow...

Swiss chocolatier serves up Middle Eastern flavors as ‘Dubai chocolate’ craze hits Europe

AACHEN, Germany (AP) — Hundreds of curious shoppers, some equipped with camping stools and rain gear, lined up for hours on a drizzly Thursday in the western German city of Aachen. They weren't waiting for the latest phone or luxury handbag release: they were after a taste of a new chocolate bar....

EU slaps Meta with a nearly 800 million euro fine for engaging in 'abusive' Marketplace practices

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call “abusive practices” involving its Marketplace online classified ads business. The European Commission,...

NATO and the EU press China to help stop North Korea's support for the war on Ukraine

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO and the European Union are ramping up efforts to persuade China to help get North Korea to stop sending troops and other support to Russia to back its war on Ukraine. Up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia’s Kursk border region to help beat...

EU fines Facebook parent Meta nearly 800 million euros over 'abusive' Marketplace practices