Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that NATO was not in crisis and that the Afghan mission was not failing.
Gates denies a crisis in NATO By THOM SHANKER The U.S. defense secretary, continuing his self-described effort to "nag" allies for more troops in Afghanistan, said Thursday that NATO was not in crisis and that the Afghan mission was not failing.
Group won't monitor campaign in Russia By C.J. CHIVERS The principal election-observation organization in Europe said Thursday that it would not send observers to monitor Russia's presidential campaign and election on March 2, citing severe restrictions imposed on its work by the Russian government.
Sarkozy now appears less eager for change By KATRIN BENNHOLD French commentators are musing whether Sarkozy is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, who spent his first eight months in office promising change and then retreated in the face of labor protests and plummeting poll numbers.
Fire on cargo ship in Adriatic is said to be contained AP The fire on a Turkish cargo ship carrying 200 trucks and tons of hazardous material was subsiding Thursday afternoon, and it was being kept away from the Croatian coast. Officials said an ecological disaster seemed to have been averted.
French lawmakers say 'yes' to EU treaty AP French lawmakers approved a draft law Thursday allowing ratification of an ambitious EU treaty, three years after French and Dutch voters rejected a continent-wide constitution in 2005.
President of Chad ready to pardon 6 French aid workers AP President Idriss Déby said that he was "ready to pardon" the aid workers who were convicted in December of trying to kidnap 103 children, but only if France officially requested it.
Turkish headscarf reform passes first vote Reuters Turkey's parliament approved in a first round of voting on Thursday an amendment to the constitution permitting women students to wear the Muslim headscarf at university.
Serbia remains deadlocked over EU deal, Kosovo AP Serbia's prime minister on Thursday refused to call a government meeting to approve an aid-and-trade deal with the European Union, throwing the Cabinet's future further in doubt.
