Southern Europe

Football: Cristiano Ronaldo fined $22K by UEFA for obscene gesture

Juventus star fined the same sum imposed on Atletico coach Diego Simeone for same gesture during the round of 16 first-leg game in Spain.

Hostage children rescued in Italy as driver hijacks and torches school bus

Italian citizen of Senegalese origin said the hijacking was carried out to protest migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, and had apparently claimed to have lost three of his own children at sea.

UN judges up Karadzic sentence to life in prison

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to spend the rest of his life in jail for genocide and war crimes, UN tribunal rules, increasing his original sentence of 40 years.

Purported Catalan duo trained by YPG/PKK threatens Spain

Two masked people who identify themselves as Catalan threaten to use terrorist training against Spain once they arrive in the country from Syria, according to viral footage.

Dragons, politicians go up in flames in Spain's fiery festival

The festival, during which hundreds of intricate 'ninots', the Valencian name for papier-mâché dolls, are brought into the streets and then burned on the last day, is a centuries-old tradition honouring St Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.

Italy closes port to 49 migrants rescued by NGO ship

The migrants, including 12 minors, were rescued on Monday off the coast of Libya by the Italian humanitarian group Mediterranea Saving Humans.

Betis fans bow to 'extraordinary' Messi after sublime hat-trick

Messi opened the scoring with an unstoppable free kick then combined with devastating effect with Luis Suarez to carve Betis open and score a second goal right before halftime.

Serbia opposition supporters invade state-run TV

Protesters briefly broke into Serbia's state television building in the capital Belgrade, demanding media freedom and unbiased coverage of more than three months of anti-government demonstrations.

What's the Algiers Agreement between Iran and Iraq about?

The Algiers Agreement was initially signed to resolve border issues in 1975 between Iran and Iraq. Now, the two countries have come together to implement it, but not just for border issues.

UCL: Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick leads Juventus into quarters

Ronaldo made the breakthrough in the 27th minute, levelled the aggregate score three minutes after halftime with another towering header and blasted home the decisive goal from a penalty with four minutes left to seal a 3-2 overall triumph.

North Macedonia president refuses to sign 11 bills under new name

The Republic of North Macedonia is facing a constitutional crisis over the country's name change as the outgoing president Gjorge Ivanov says he will not sign documents bearing the name of North Macedonia.

Catalan quest for independence loses its way as populism takes over

Pro-independence Catalan leaders that flout the law are turning the question of independence into a counterproductive binary of good versus evil.