New Settlements in Britain’s Hacking Scandal

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:21:09 GMT

Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper subsidiary was reported to have reached a new batch of settlements on Wednesday in the hacking scandal.

Britain Rules Out Talks With Argentina Over Falklands

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:52:09 GMT

Britain on Wednesday ruled out any negotiation with Argentina over the future of the disputed Falkland Islands after President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said she would formally complain to the United Nations.

Russia Plans to Retry Dead Lawyer Sergei L. Magnitsky in Tax Case

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:45:18 GMT

The decision to once again prosecute Sergei L. Magnitsky, whose death in prison was considered a symbol of rights abuses in Russia, infuriated his family and former employer.

Viktor Orban Defends Hungary’s New Constitution

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:15:10 GMT

In his state of the nation speech Tuesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the Constitution was “the first in Europe to prescribe decreasing public debt and keeping the balance of the budget.”

Putin Pledges to Limit Officials’ Traffic Privileges

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:19 GMT

Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin pledged to reduce the number of Russian officials who are allowed to bypass traffic jams by ignoring basic rules of the road.

Vatican Urged to Give Priority to Abuse Victims

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:15:10 GMT

An advocate for the prevention of child abuse said at a conference that the church should listen to victims rather than focus their attention on priests accused of wrongdoing.

Detention of Francesco Schettino, Italian Captain, Affirmed

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:23 GMT

A Florence appeals court rejected both the prosecutors’ request to imprison the Francesco Schettino, who is under house arrest, and the request of his lawyer to have him released.

Greece Puts Off Austerity Talks Amid Strike

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00:03 GMT

Missing another deadline, the government failed to reach agreement with creditors Tuesday, and Greek workers walked off the job to protest austerity measures.

2 Rulings Uphold Media Rights in Europe

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:15:10 GMT

Both verdicts by the European Court of Human Rights referred to the often-tricky balance between the media's right to expression and an individual's right to privacy.

Letter from Europe: Remixing Ireland's Gender Blend

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:50:07 GMT

New legislation is offering perhaps a first chance at reshaping Ireland's heavily masculine political landscape, whose cronyism has been blamed for the country's spectacular economic implosion.

In the Thatcher Style

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:12:40 GMT

Accomplished women of a certain generation reinforced their power with hard-edged clothing styles.

World Briefing | The Americas: Argentina: British Ship Protested

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:08 GMT

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said Tuesday that Argentina would formally complain to the United Nations after Britain sent one of its most modern warships to the disputed Falkland Islands.

World Briefing | Europe: Britain: Officials Acknowledge Failures on Phone Hacking

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:07 GMT

Scotland Yard formally acknowledged on Tuesday that it had acted unlawfully in 2006 and 2007 in failing to notify hundreds of individuals targeted by The News of the World.

World Briefing | Europe: Britain: No Pardon for Alan Turing in 1952 Case

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:16 GMT

Alan Turing, the British mathematician and cryptanalyst, has been denied a formal pardon by the government of Prime Minister David Cameron for his conviction in 1952 on charges of homosexuality.

World Briefing | Europe: Bulgaria: Floods Threaten Villages

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:10:18 GMT

Swollen rivers in Bulgaria and Greece burst their banks on Tuesday, leaving dozens of homes underwater, as Bulgarian officials declared a day of mourning for eight people confirmed killed after a dam collapsed.

Letter from Europe: U.S. Sees Europe as Not Pulling Its Weight Militarily

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:15:07 GMT

Europeans do not grasp how bad the trans-Atlantic relationship has become as Europe refuses to pick up more of the military burden and Washington makes a strategic shift from Europe to Asia.

Contador, Three-Time Tour de France Champion, Is Found Guilty of Doping

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:54:05 GMT

An appeals court ruled on Monday that Alberto Contador, a three-time winner of the Tour de France, used a performance-enhancing drug when he won the race in 2010.

Emil Boc, Romanian Prime Minister, Resigns Amid Protests

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:30:08 GMT

Prime Minister Emil Boc is the latest European leader to fall victim to a mood of public outrage over austerity measures and stagnant growth.

Merkel and Sarkozy Address Syria, Greece and French Election

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:07:41 GMT

At a joint news conference, the two leaders pledged not to allow Russia and China to block international action to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

World Briefing | Europe: Italy: Court Reverses Conviction of Former Guantánamo Prisoner

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:15:07 GMT

An Italian appeals court on Monday overturned the terrorism conviction of a Tunisian man who had spent nine years in the United States military prison in Guantánamo, Cuba.

Conservative Wins Runoff for Presidency in Finland

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:55:05 GMT

The victory for Finland’s conservatives in the presidential runoff restores the National Coalition Party to the presidency after 30 years and gives it the nation’s two top posts for the first time.

Roman Catholics Convene to Discuss Sexual Abuse Prevention

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:07:39 GMT

Religious superiors as well as abuse victims were invited to a symposium in Rome. Some wondered what action would come from the meeting.

World Briefing | Europe: Britain: Quiet Anniversary for Queen Elizabeth II

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:07:39 GMT

Queen Elizabeth II broke with her custom of performing no public duties on the anniversary of the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952.

Greece to Build Fence on Turkish Border to Curb Illegal Immigrants

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:50:06 GMT

Thousands of illegal immigrants cross into Greece from Turkey along the six-mile stretch of land where the razor-wire-topped fence will be built.

St. Moritz Journal: With Leaning Tower of Pisa Straighter, Other Contenders

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:27:31 GMT

Repairs have ended the Pisa tower’s status as the most leaning, and a small tower in Germany is the new Guinness titleholder, but rivals have emerged.

World Briefing | Europe: Britain: Judge Orders Release on Bail of Militant Accused of Qaeda Role

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:20:08 GMT

An immigration appeals judge ordered the government on Monday to release on bail a militant Islamic preacher who is considered a leader of Al Qaeda in Europe.

Russia Rejects Criticism of Its U.N. Veto on Syria

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:15:07 GMT

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Monday lashed out at critics of Russia’s decision to veto a United Nations resolution on Syria and reiterated objections to the plan.

Greece Agrees to Harsh New Spending Cuts

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:50:06 GMT

The interim government agreed to cut spending this year by 1.5 percent of Greece’s gross domestic product, but members have yet to agree on details of austerity measures.

With Focus on Economy, National Front Makes Gains in Northern France

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:53:42 GMT

The National Front party is finding support in parts of France’s post-industrial north where financial issues are proving more important than immigration.

Hundreds of Deaths as Europe Struggles With Snow Amid an Intense Cold Snap

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:50:06 GMT

Extreme cold and heavy snow buried parts of Europe over the last few days, claiming hundreds of lives, straining utilities and snarling transportation.

Briefly: Education: Collaboration Brings Google to French Business School

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:27:20 GMT

In "Google@HEC," a series of lectures, seminars and meetings for students will be led by digital entrepreneurs and Google employees.

Panetta and Clinton Reassure Europe on Defense

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:00:44 GMT

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to reassure Europe on Saturday that the United States was not abandoning its partners across the Atlantic.

Protesters Throng Frozen Moscow in Anti-Putin March

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:46:38 GMT

A third huge rally was undeterred by the arctic cold or by the near certainty that Vladimir V. Putin will win a six-year term as Russia’s president next month.

Greek Talks at a Delicate Point, Official Says

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:14:51 GMT

The Greek finance minister said that debt talks on a second rescue deal were “on a razor’s edge,” with major issues unresolved ahead of a crucial deadline on Sunday.

Chris Huhne Resignation in Britain Shakes Cameron’s Coalition

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:35:05 GMT

Chris Huhne, the energy and climate chief, is accused of perverting the course of justice in a 2003 speeding case.

Greek Premier Is Tested in Impasse Over Pay Cuts

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:31:02 GMT

Prime Minister Lucas Papademos faces a deadlock over proposed demands by Greece’s foreign lenders to reduce private-sector wages in exchange for aid the country needs to prevent default.

Putin Aide Says Foreign Hands Are Behind Protests

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:51:02 GMT

The aide, Dmitri S. Peskov, said that Russian intelligence services previously reported plans for the outbreak of protests, implying that a blueprint for unrest was drawn up in Washington.

World Briefing | Europe: U.N. Court Upholds German Immunity From Suits by Victims of Nazi Atrocities

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:35:05 GMT

The United Nations’ highest court confirmed on Friday that Germany has legal immunity from being sued in foreign courts by victims of Nazi atrocities.

Tempers Rise Over Gas Supply to West From Russia

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:55:05 GMT

Low supplies in Western Europe have caused tension to the east during an especially frigid winter.

WORLD: An Interview with Jelle Visser

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:52:56 GMT

Jelle Visser, a journalist for the Dutch news television program, “EenVandaag,” explains why he was charged with invading the privacy of a convicted Nazi war criminal in Germany.

Cold Weather Grips Europe

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:24:39 GMT

A spell of freezing weather in Europe has caused more than 300 deaths, mostly in Poland and Ukraine, and caused disruptions through much of the continent.

WORLD: Assange Fights Extradition

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:17:06 GMT

February 1, 2012 - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared before Britain's Supreme Court to fight extradition to Sweden where he faces accusations of sexual misconduct.

The Lede Blog: Dutch Reporters Face Jail for Violating Elderly Nazi War Criminal's Right to Privacy

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:04:59 GMT

A 90-year-old convicted Nazi war criminal claims that the journalists violated his privacy by using a hidden camera to record an interview with him.

The Lede Blog: Russian Diplomat Blocking U.N. Action in Syria Facilitated It in Bosnia

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:00:48 GMT

Vitaly Churkin, the Russian diplomat blocking United Nations action on Syria, played a very different role during the war in Bosnia.

The Lede Blog: Travelers Say They Were Denied Entry to U.S. for Twitter Jokes

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:56:17 GMT

Two travelers say they were detained overnight, questioned by federal agents and sent home to Europe because of joking Twitter messages that were taken as threats.

John Christopher, Science Fiction Writer, Dies at 89

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:27:18 GMT

Mr. Christopher was author of the “Tripods” trilogy among many other books under many other names.

Florence Green, Last World War I Veteran, Dies at 110

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:40:07 GMT

Mrs. Green, a teenage officers’ mess waitress, signed up in the last months of the war and recalled the officers’ courtly behavior.

Op-Ed Contributor: The Zuckerberg Tax

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:57:15 GMT

To fix a flaw in our tax system, mark-to-market taxation would require the superwealthy to pay at least a little income tax on their unsold stock shares.