The UN climate talks in Copenhagen avoided a total collapse by skirting bitter opposition from several nations to a deal championed by the US and five emerging economies.

Serbian, Montenegrin and Macedonian nationals can travel visa-free inside the EU's borderless Schengen zone from Saturday.

More than 2,000 passengers were stuck under the English Channel after sub-zero temperatures caused Eurotunnel trains to break down. Icy weather has thrown travel plans across Europe into chaos and has even claimed lives.

Delegates at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen have averted a collapse of talks saying they "took note" of a US-led compromise deal on tackling global warming.

A Paris court has fined Google 300,000 euros for digitizing thousands of French books and infringement of copyright. The US Internet giant has also been barred from digitizating further French works without approval.

US President Barack Obama says a "meaningful agreement" has been reached at the Copenhagen climate summit. But the deal has received a lukewarm response from European leaders.

American carmaker General Motors has announced it will close its Swedish unit Saab after no buyer could be found. Sweden has expressed its disappointment and leveled criticism at GM.

A preliminary ban on bullfighting in Spain's Catalonia region has sparked a national debate. Those who initiated the ban say the Spanish tradition is cruel and does not belong in the 21st century.

Obama urged nations to accept a less-than-perfect climate agreement in the final hours of the summit in Copenhagen on Friday. A new draft agreement called the "Copenhagen Accord" drops a previous deadline extension.

Economist Ross McKitrick says carbon emissions penalties should be tied to actual - not predicted - global temperatures. He also has a plan for how his system should be financed.

Six Bundesliga teams have reached the knock-out rounds in Europe this season - now they all know who to prepare for in the next round.

Volker Wieker, a former army general, has become the head of Germany's military command. He will replace Wolfgang Schneiderhan, who was relieved due to political fallout over September's deadly airstrike in Afghanistan.

Opel's CEO plans return the company to a profit margin within four years. While green technology and more appealing products would be a good start, analysts say a more functional organizational structure is needed too.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's disputed tax-cut plan has passed parliament. However, critics worry the plan will only worsen the country's rising debt.

Female participation in governance in Africa has improved lately, but the battle for gender equality in African politics is not over yet. Women's rights activists speak up against the powerless role of women in power.

The Borghese Gallery in Rome is showcasing paintings by 17th century master Caravaggio alongside those of the 20th century painter Francis Bacon. Centuries apart, the bad boys of the arts world meet at last.

The German parliament has voted to extend its commitment to the European Union Force in Bosnia for an additional year.

The "Arbeit macht frei" sign that marked the entrance to the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz has been stolen. The theft of the sign that symbolised the Nazi era has shocked people in Poland.

As Copenhagen enters the last scheduled day of negotiations, world leaders will meet to try and finalize a deal. Hopes for success are largely being placed on an agreement between China and the United States.

The German parliament has decided to extend its mission to prevent piracy off the coast of Somalia. However, the maximum number of personnel who can be involved remains capped.