For Vatican, Spain is a key front in church-state battle
When a judge recently ruled that a public school must remove the crucifixes from classroom walls, it was the latest blow to the Catholic Church's once mighty grip on Spain.

Belgian market's luster dims, but legacy stays
Antwerp's Orthodox Jews have set the tone of its lively diamond market for more than a century, but global economic forces threaten their livelihoods and way of life.

Gazprom reduces deliveries of gas through Ukraine
The announcement by the Russian gas monopoly, which said it is trying to make up for gas stolen by Ukraine, was essentially a partial fuel embargo of Europe.

EU tries to stay neutral in natural gas dispute
As Russia put the latest tightening twist on the gas valve to Ukraine on Monday, Europe steadfastly refused to become the arbiter in a price dispute in which both sides have weaker hands than in a similar standoff three years ago.

German officials negotiate terms of stimulus package
Top German officials on Monday began hammering out a new economic stimulus package that could be worth up to €50 billion over the next two years.

Automakers fear new normal of lower sales in U.S.
The collapse of the U.S. new-car market dragged on in December, raising questions of whether the auto industry will ever again have sales levels that it took for granted just a few years ago.

Toyota to cut auto production
Toyota Motor said Tuesday that it plans to halt production at all of its plants in Japan for a total of 11 days in February and March.

Automakers hit by poor December sales in Japan
The 22 percent drop ends a dismal 2008, when demand fell to a 34-year low.

Waterford Wedgwood falls prey to economics
In the current economic climate, luxury crystals and ceramics are a hard sell as Waterford Wedgwood conceded Monday, when it was placed in receivership.

New sense of frugality for young Chinese workers
Web sites and blogs popular among young Chinese professionals, who used to spend as much as they earned on consumer goods, are extolling the virtues of frugality as the global financial crisis bites China's economy.

Obama chooses Panetta as CIA chief in surprise step
The choice of Leon Panetta, a former congressman and White House chief of staff, raised questions about his limited experience in intelligence matters.

Obama pushes for stimulus on Capitol Hill
President-elect Barack Obama took his recovery package to Capitol Hill, working to build a bipartisan coalition to endorse his plan of tax cuts and new spending.

Obama names 4 for Justice jobs in break from Bush path
Many of the president-elect's other picks have had a centrist bent, but he signaled a new direction at the Justice Department.

Biden schedules fact-finding journey to Asia
The trip this week effectively represents the incoming administration's first foray into foreign policy since the election.

In a quiet church rebellion, Massachusetts parishioners keep the faith
CATHOLIC REBELLION For 1,533 days, parishioners in Massachusetts have been guarding a church so that the archdiocese cannot sell it.

For Vatican, Spain is a key front in church-state battle
For Pope Benedict XVI, who has staked his three-year-old papacy on keeping Europe Catholic, Spain represents a last hope in an increasingly irreligious continent.

Ex-detainee of U.S. describes a 6-year ordeal
Though never charged with a crime, Muhammad Saad Iqbal of Pakistan spent six years in American custody, during which he says he was secretly taken to Egypt and tortured.

Bid to revoke Madoff's bail cites his gifts
Bernard Madoff tried to hide at least $1 million in assets from investigators, prosecutors told a judge.

Belgian market's luster dims, but legacy stays
Antwerp's Orthodox Jews have set the tone of its lively diamond market for more than a century, but global economic forces threaten their livelihoods and way of life.

In a quiet church rebellion, Massachusetts parishioners keep the faith
For 1,533 days, parishioners in Massachusetts have been guarding a church so that the archdiocese cannot sell it.