Europe

Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, like many others across the city, is experiencing a real estate boom. Housing prices have risen by as much as 20 percent in the past year in some German cities.

Germany's Housing Market Is Hot. Is It Overheating?

9:59am January 05, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Buyers are snapping up property in Germany, leaving some analysts worried that it's a bubble in the making. But others say the conservative approach to home ownership, including a tradition of large down payments, will protect the market from a U.S.-style crash.

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Foreign buyers are pushing the prices of prime London real estate through the roof. Neighborhoods such as West London, Kensington and Chelsea are particularly popular.

London Real Estate, A Magnet For Mega-Rich From Around The Globe

9:59am January 05, 2013

by Vicki Barker

In most of Britain, property prices are slumping amid a weak economy. But mega-rich foreigners see London's upscale neighborhoods as a safe place to invest, and they are snapping up properties and pushing up prices even though many don't plan to use these homes as a primary residence.

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A Greek Orthodox priest is blocked by riot police as he takes part in a protest outside an Athens theater in October. The play, Corpus Christi, portrays Jesus and his apostles as gay men living in modern-day Texas. The director and the cast have been char

World News

Old Greek Blasphemy Laws Stir Up Modern Drama

10:16pm January 04, 2013

by Joanna Kakissis

The laws date to the 1850s, but have rarely been invoked. However, two recent cases have put the law in the spotlight, and critics say the measure is being abused.

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Europe Fails To Stimulate Growth In 2012

12:52pm December 31, 2012

by Jim Zarroli

Europe spent much of this year trying to hold its common currency pact together. Greece, Spain, Italy and other countries flirted with disaster as interest rates spiked, forcing the debtor nations to accept austerity programs. The turmoil was bad enough to push much of the eurozone into recession.

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A man wears a costume reading "Dad" and "Mom" during a demonstration against gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples in Nice, France, in October.

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Same-Sex Marriage And Adoption: Unresolved Issues In France

8:14pm December 29, 2012

by Eleanor Beardsley

Opposition to a bill allowing gay couples to adopt has been unexpectedly fierce in the country, which legalized civil unions more than a decade ago. In a rare move, and to the surprise of many, even the French Catholic Church has become involved in the debate.

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Russia's Putin Signs Controversial Adoption Bill

1:42pm December 28, 2012

by Corey Flintoff

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a measure that would ban Americans from adopting Russian children. The ban is designed as retaliation for a new U.S. law that sanctions Russian officials accused of human rights violations.

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Christmas chocolate and sweets on display at a Christmas market at Piazza Navona on Dec. 20 in Rome.

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At Christmas, A Roman Holiday Revolves Around The Food

11:05am December 28, 2012

by Sylvia Poggioli

The Italian city isn't big on Christmas glitz and glamor. Instead, Rome saves its holiday shine for the dinner table. The Christmas day meal might start with lasagna before moving on to turkey or guinea hen. And it wouldn't be complete without plenty of sweets.

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Present Thief Nabbed In France

7:40am December 28, 2012

A thief stole brightly wrapped presents, which a French family had left in an unlocked car. But the thief left his cell phone behind. When the family went to the police station to report the theft, the alleged thief was there too, reporting his lost phone.

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French actor Gerard Depardieu speaks outside Paris in March. He recently said he was moving to neighboring Belgium to avoid France's new top tax rate of 75 percent. The news ignited a debate in France over taxes and patriotism.

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Gerard Depardieu's Tax Flight Stirs Fierce Debate In France

11:02pm December 27, 2012

by Eleanor Beardsley

The film actor is moving to neighboring Belgium to avoid a new 75 percent tax on the superwealthy. This has touched off a war of words with the prime minister, and the public seems deeply divided.

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The ILVA steel plant in Taranto, Italy, provides some 20,000 badly needed jobs in a country with a weak economy. But it also spews carcinogens. A court has ordered a partial shutdown, which the government has rejected.

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A Showdown In Italy Over A Polluting Steel Plant

9:40pm December 27, 2012

by Sylvia Poggioli

The city of Taranto is heavily dependent on a steel plant, the largest in Europe, which provides some 20,000 jobs. A court has ordered a partial shutdown because the factory spews carcinogens into the air, but the government has rejected the court's ruling, saying the economy needs the jobs.

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