British Parliament recognizes Palestinian state
LONDON — Against a backdrop of growing impatience across Europe with Israeli policy, Britain’s Parliament overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution Monday night to give diplomatic recognition to a Palestinian state. The vote was a symbolic but potent indication of how public opinion has shifted since the breakdown of American-sponsored peace negotiations and the conflict in Gaza this summer.
Decades after racial killing, inquiry shows police spied on victim’s parents
LONDON — More than 20 years after the murder of a young black man became a symbol of Britain’s troubled race relations, an inquiry published Thursday disclosed that undercover officers spied on the victim’s parents as they campaigned for a thorough investigation into their son’s killing.
Merkel warns Britain not to expect too much from the E.U.
LONDON — Given red-carpet treatment in London, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany responded Thursday with warm words, but few hard promises to Prime Minister David Cameron, who is counting on her support in his efforts to loosen British ties to the European Union.
European Union imposes sanctions in Ukraine crisis
BRUSSELS — Brushing aside Russian criticism, the European Union agreed Thursday to go ahead with sanctions that include travel bans and asset freezes imposed on those deemed responsible for the fatal escalation of violence in Ukraine.
Storm lashes northern Europe, stalling travel in parts of Britain
LONDON — One of the most powerful storms in Europe in years left at least 13 people dead, hundreds of thousands without power and many stranded Monday when trains, planes and ferries were canceled after high winds battered the northern part of the Continent.
Britain braces for more Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants
LONDON — When Poland and seven other formerly Communist nations joined the European Union in 2004, Britain threw open its jobs market earlier than required to welcome tens, even hundreds, of thousands of new workers born behind the Iron Curtain.
In seeking distance from EU, Britain may lose influence
LONDON — Last year, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain used his appearance at the World Economic Forum to vent frustration with the European Union, listing some of the policies he would ditch if he could throw off Europe’s regulatory shackles.
French-German disputes could mar European summit
BRUSSELS — European Union leaders sought Thursday to overcome sharp differences over how to improve supervision of their banks and budgets, at the start of a two-day summit meeting aimed at resolving the eurozone crisis.
OECD finds new signs of weakness in world economy
LONDON — More evidence of a weakening global economy emerged Thursday ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision to take aggressive new steps to stimulate growth in the United States.
EU excludes members Romania and Bulgaria entry to bloc’s travel zone
BRUSSELS — Preoccupied with fears of increased migration from the south, the European Union told its two newest members, Romania and Bulgaria, on Thursday that they would have to wait to join the bloc’s passport-free travel zone.
Germany reluctant to expand European bailout fund
BRUSSELS — Despite rising pressure for new measures to draw a line under the debt crisis, Germany moved Monday to close off debate on an increase to a 750-billion-euro bailout fund, or the more radical step of issuing common euro zone bonds.
European leaders vow to aid Greece during euro plight
BRUSSLES —European leaders promised Thursday to safeguard their common currency, the euro, by aiding Greece during its debt crisis. But they offered no immediate assistance to the Greek government and remained silent on how they would respond if investors remain jittery about Greece and other nations with weak economies that use the euro.
Shorts (right)
Belarus, which is often described as the last dictatorship in Europe, emerged from the diplomatic deep freeze Monday when the European Union temporarily lifted a travel ban on the country’s president, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko.