DUBLIN — It often starts as a voice in the wilderness, but can swell into an entire nation's demand for truth. From Ireland to Germany, Europe's many victims of child abuse in the Roman Catholic church are finally breaking social taboos and confronting the clergy to face its demons.Ireland was the...

LONDON - Teachers in England should not be banned from being members of the far-right British National Party or any organisation which promotes racism, according to an independent report published on Friday. Bans on such membership already exist for the police force and prison service,...

WASHINGTON - US State Department 2009 human rights report on Cyprus has been divided once again into two sections, one for the Republic of Cyprus and one for the ''Area Administered by Turkish Cypriots'', which is how they call Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus.The report noted that ''since 1974 the...

ATHENS — The Athens Geodynamic Institute says an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 has struck in southern Greece. Authorities say there are no reports of damage or injuries.The institute said Friday's quake occurred at 3:53 a.m. (0153GMT) with an epicenter 180 kilometers (112 miles)...

AMSTERDAM — The head of the Dutch Labor Party, Wouter Bos, says he will not stand as party leader or as candidate for prime minister in national elections in June.Bos, 48, cited a desire to spend more time with his family.Bos has led his party for eight years and served until the collapse of the...

LAHORE — A pair of suicide bombers targeting army vehicles detonated explosives within seconds of each other Friday, killing at least 39 people in this eastern city and wounding nearly 100, police said. It was the fourth major attack in Pakistan this week, indicating Islamist militants are stepping...

JERUSALEM — Israel has sealed off the West Bank for 48 hours, preventing Palestinians from entering Israel because of fears of unrest.There have been clashes after Friday prayers at mosques in Jerusalem and elsewhere in recent weeks, sparked by deadlock in peace talks and Israel's inclusion of two...

LONDON — The whereabouts of a British boy kidnapped from his family's home in Pakistan was unclear Thursday, with conflicting reports about whether he has been found and diplomats scrambling for confirmation.Pakistan's High Commissioner to London, Wajid Hasan, first told The Associated Press that...

Greece paralyzed by strike over austerity plan ELENA BECATOROS,Associated Press Writer ATHENS — Greek public transport was halted, flights grounded and state hospitals left with emergency staff only on Thursday as workers held yet another general strike to protest painful spending...

 WASHINGTON - Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has described Turkey's stance to the efforts to bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem as ''decisive''.Speaking Wednesday at a press conference on the completion of his visit to Washington, Papandreou said he often hears concerns that...