North Macedonia's parliament is set to approve a new center-right government after May's election

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia's center-right leader Hristijan Mickoski is expected to secure parliamentary approval to lead a new coalition government in a vote Sunday. Mickoski, 46, faces significant challenges in his four-year term in office — above all to...

North Macedonia's parliament prepares to vote on a proposed center-right government

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia's parliament began a two-day debate leading up to a vote on the new government proposed by a center-right party that won May's national elections. Heading the proposed government is Hristijan Mickoski, a 46-year-old former engineering...

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, criticized for saying West provoked Putin to invade Ukraine

LONDON (AP) — Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform U.K party, is facing wide-ranging criticism across the political spectrum over his claim that the West provoked Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, including of being an appeaser. In a BBC television...

EU nations agree to start membership negotiations next week with Ukraine and Moldova

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union agreed Friday to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations' long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia's influence. Belgium, which currently holds the presidency of the EU, said...

Niger revokes French company's operating permit at major uranium mine

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Nigerien military authorities have withdrawn the operating permit for a large uranium mine from the French company Orano, the company said, significantly escalating tensions between the military junta and the country's former colonial power. Niger, a landlocked...

EU nations approve opening of enlargement talks with Ukraine and Moldova next week

Slovakia’s parliament backs a contentious plan to overhaul the country's public broadcasting

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s parliament voted on Thursday to approve a government plan to overhaul the country’s public broadcasting services, a move that critics say would result in the government taking full control of the media. The coalition government of populist...

'Teflon Mark' Rutte set to bring consensus-building skills from Dutch politics as next NATO chief

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Over the course of more than a dozen years at the top of Dutch politics, Mark Rutte got to know a thing or two about finding consensus among fractious coalition partners. Now he's on track to bring the experience of leading four Dutch multiparty governments to the...

EU envoys agree on more Russia sanctions. LNG imports are among the targets.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union ambassadors have reached agreement on a “powerful and substantial” new series of sanctions that are part of its ongoing response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the bloc’s Belgian presidency said Thursday. “This package provides new...

Explosion in Montenegro kills 2, seriously injures 3

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — An explosion in central Montenegro's historical capital, Cetnje, on Thursday killed two people and seriously injured three others, police said. Police sealed off the area around the Cetinje town's sports hall. They launched an investigation to find the...