Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, police said, in the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure in the region. Finnish...

Five facts about electric vehicles in 2024

DETROIT (AP) — Electric vehicles had another whirlwind year around the globe, driven by buyers in China, and growth in parts of Europe and the United States, despite headwinds. In a milestone for China, the world's biggest auto market, EVs hit 50% of new car sales in July. That...

This Somali migrant watched others around her die at sea. But she wants to try again for Europe

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Idil Abdullahi Goley’s journey seeking a better life in Europe started in Somalia with a $6,500 payment to local smugglers. It ended a month later with fellow migrants around her dying at sea, one of them screaming and reciting the Muslim profession of faith. ...

Striking students in Serbia tell chief prosecutor to 'fight for law and justice'

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's striking university students on Wednesday rallied outside the chief prosecutor's office to demand justice over a concrete canopy collapse that killed 15 people last month in the country's north. More than 1,000 students symbolically left letters on...

Spain's monarch pays tribute to the victims of Valencia floods in his Christmas Eve speech

MADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods, and urged the country to remain calm while addressing hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded...

France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps

PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, intensifying pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast: Challenges abound for President...

Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers on Monday voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the...

Russia's Putin holds talks with Slovakian PM Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hosted Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to the Kremlin by an EU leader since Moscow's all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one on...

Russia's Putin holds talks with Slovakian PM Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader

German authorities received tipoffs last year about the suspect in Christmas market attack

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — German authorities said they received tipoffs last year about the suspect in a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg as more details emerged on Sunday about the five people killed. Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who...