GERMANY

The two met for three hours Thursday before issuing an optimistic statement ahead of next week's European Council summit.

American Rebecca Blady was hoping to spend a day in retreat from the outside world, turning to fasting and worship at Yom Kippur in eastern German city Halle.She and her husband Jeremy, two Jewish orthodox community leaders who recently moved to Germany, had eagerly agreed to celebrate in the "shul" or synagogue there, which rarely has enough worshippers to fill its space on high holidays.In the event, they ended up being survivors and witnesses of a day of extrordinary violence.

Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk on Thursday won the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize, which was delayed over a sexual harassment scandal, while Austrian novelist and playwright Peter Handke took the 2019 award, the Swedish Academy said.Experts had predicted the Academy would go to great pains to steer clear of controversy with its pick of laureates, as it seeks to restore its reputation tainted by the scandal.

Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed Thursday there would be "zero tolerance" for hate in Germany after an attempted massacre at a synagogue, as Jews demanded action to protect the community from the rising threat of neo-Nazi violence.Two people were shot dead in the eastern German city of Halle on Wednesday, with a synagogue the prime target on Yom Kippur. The suspect, 27-year-old German Stephan Balliet, filmed the assault and live-streamed it.

Sylvie Goulard was to have taken on a broad economic portfolio, butinstead became the third nominee to be rejected

A number of members of the ECB Governing Council opposed a $21.9 billion bond-buying program approved at the central bank's September meeting.

Dissenting voices have 'rarely been as loud and persistent'

After the Christchurch mosque attacks, governments and tech firms joined hands in a bid to eradicate extremism and terrorism online

An adorable video of a lion cub freaking out her mother has gone viral on social media.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met rabbi Gesa Ederberg (l) and other members of the Jewish community at a vigil outside the New Synagogue in Berlin

Governments have voiced concern over the Turkish military's assault on Syria

The World Trade Organization has given Washington the greenlight to slap tariffs on $7.5 billion (6.8 billion euros) worth of European Union goods in retaliation for its illegal state support of the planemaker Airbus

At least two people were shot dead in the German city of Halle on Wednesday in an anti-Semitic attack as Jews marked the holy day of Yom Kippur, with the gunman filming the assault and posting a video online.The suspect has been captured, police said, as security was ramped up at synagogues and other Jewish sites across Germany.In a copy of a 35-minute video obtained by AFP but whose authenticity has not been confirmed by police, the gunman filmed himself launching into a diatribe against women and Jews, before carrying out the attack, in a disturbing repeat of the modus operandi of the attacker in the Christchurch mosque assault earlier this year.

Results of a poll in six European countries on perceptions of Brexit.

The EU budget has long been subject to complicated haggling

Silence gripped the abandoned streets of the eastern German city of Halle Wednesday as elite anti-terror forces carried out a manhunt after a deadly shooting at a synagogue and a Turkish restaurant.Police ordered residents to stay inside and close all doors and windows after they apprehended one suspect and chased possible accomplices in the attack that killed two people and seriously wounded two others.

Soon to be a Hays after the independent travel firm bought 555 former Thomas Cook stores out of liquidation

A 9-year-old child has been charged with five counts of murder in connection with a fire at a mobile home in Goodfield, Illinois which killed two adults and three children.

This June picture shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump, but hopes have dimmed for this week's talks

A North Korean missile test launched from the sea Oct 2 has stirred calls for strict enforcement of UN sanctions

Police said around nine people were slightly injured, including the driver of the stolen vehicle