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...

Hungary's Orbán blames immigration and EU for the deadly attack in Germany

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday drew a direct link between immigration and an attack in Germany where a man drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people and injuring 200 others. During a rare...

Soccer's top players have had enough, as FIFA's new super-sized tournament sparks a revolt

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — One of the most striking moments of soccer in 2024 was when Rodri hobbled onto a stage in Paris on crutches to receive the prestigious Ballon d’Or for best male player of the year. The Manchester City and Spain midfielder had been one of the most...

VW wage deal for 120,000 German workers avoids layoffs, plant closures

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Volkswagen and its employee representatives said Friday they have reached a wage deal for 120,000 German workers that avoids plant closings and bars involuntary layoffs through 2030. The agreement includes provisions for VW to shed more than 35,000 jobs through early...

Trump adds Europe to the list of US trade partners he's threatening with tariffs

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday added the 27 countries that make up the European Union to the list of trade partners he's threatening with tariffs — unless the group takes steps to import more U.S. goods. “I told the European Union that they...