If Europe occasionally winces at accusations that it is not pulling its weight in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan against the Taliban, it has been prouder of its take-charge role in combating Somalia's relentless pirates. However, much like the Afghan war, that effort appears to be floundering in the face of a relentless, quickly adapting and resurgent enemy — despite successes like Sunday's dramatic rescue of Richard Phillips, the American ship captain held hostage since Wednesday by defiant Somali pirates. ...

Two pirates in Somalia vowed revenge Monday, after the U.S. military killed three pirates and freed a U.S. ship captain who had been held hostage for several days. The pirates told a Somali journalist that they were angered by the U.S. action, as well as a French raid Friday that killed two pirates and one hostage and freed four hostages. "We have decided to kill U.S. and French sailors if they happen to be among our future hostages," said Abdullahi ...

Kristina Heeger was wounded in her French class nearly two years ago when a gunman killed 30 of her classmates and instructors at Virginia Tech's Norris Hall. Still coping with memories of the massacre, she returned to the historic stone building Friday as the university reopened the wing of the academic building where the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history occurred. "It's still something I deal with every day," Heeger told reporters during a tour of the newly refurbished ...

Lance Armstrong could face punishment after being accused by the French anti-doping agency (AFLD) of breaking its rules during an unannounced test last month. According to a statement issued by the AFLD, the 37-year-old American "did not meet the obligation to remain under the direct and permanent observation" of the tester, taking a 20-minute shower before giving samples of blood, urine and hair. Armstrong, who was training in the South of France on March 17 when the alleged breach of ...

The conflict in Afghanistan and NATO's relationship with Russia will top the agenda at a summit meeting starting Friday marking the military alliance's 60th anniversary, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told CNN. U.S. President Barack Obama, continuing his first overseas trip in office, arrived in Strasbourg Friday for two days of talks to be co-hosted by the German town of Kehl on the opposite bank of the River Rhine. Obama met French President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier Friday for talks ...

Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire early Friday near a disputed border temple that was the site of clashes last year, a Thai military official said. A group of about 20 Cambodian soldiers "intruded" into Thai territory and opened fired after they were warned to leave by Thai soldiers, said Col. Sansern Kaewkunerd, a spokesman for the Thai army. Both sides exchanged gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades in a firefight that lasted about five minutes. There were no Thai casualties, he ...

Hundreds of French workers, angry about proposed layoffs at a Caterpillar office, were holding company executives hostage Tuesday, a spokesman for the workers said. The hostage taking is the latest in a string of protests in France sparked by the economic downturn and job losses. Last week French workers held the manager of a factory run by U.S. company 3M hostage in his office for more than 24 hours over a labor dispute. The new incident began ...

Jenson Button says he and teammate Rubens Barrichello will not be underestimating their F1 rivals after a triumphant 1-2 in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The Brawn GP pair dominated Sunday's race at Albert Park, leading many to predict they will take a stranglehold on this season's title race. But Melbourne winner Button is warning against complacency. "I hope we are quick all season and I hope we have an advantage all season, but I don't think that's going to ...

It's news to no one that France's blighted unemployment-ravaged suburban housing projects have disproportionately high black and Arab populations. It's also no scoop that those same two ethnic groups are under-represented in the nation's elite schools, corporate management ranks and political establishment. The French themselves are acutely aware that racial discrimination is a problem — and since the 2005 suburban riots have appeared eager to do something to remedy it. A good place to start might be figuring out ...

Opposition lawmakers Tuesday ridiculed President Nicolas Sarkozy for taking France back into NATO's military command after more than 40 years, but were unable to stop the move when it came to a vote. The National Assembly voted in favor of Sarkozy's plan, 329-238. Socialist Laurent Fabius, a former prime minister, told Prime Minister Francois Fillon: "You tell us this would mean more independence and more influence. It would probably mean less independence and less influence." The move did not technically ...