Many people in and around the Italian city of Naples have spent the night on the streets and in their cars after an earthquake shook buildings and brought rubble crashing down. Italian seismologists said the 4.4 magnitude tremor struck at 01:25 local time on Thursday (00:25 GMT) at a shallow …

Bethany Bell and Gillian Hazell BBC News, in Rome BBC Arianna, a student from Piacenza in Italy, said she had been “really concerned” about the Pope’s health Catholics around the world are marking the 12th anniversary of Pope Francis’s election as pontiff by praying for his recovery. Francis, who was …

It was after 21:00 on Tuesday night in Moscow when the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the Ukrainian and American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. By Wednesday afternoon, the Kremlin appeared to be still weighing its response to the proposals. Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova …

As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, “the ball is now in Russia’s court.” This is a significant moment. The joint statement from the US and Ukraine, after a long day of talks in Jeddah, contains several key lines, perhaps none more important than this: “The United States will …

Sarah Rainsford & Laura Gozzi In Bucharest and London EPA People waited for the ruling outside Romania’s Constitutional Court Romanian far-right populist Calin Georgescu has lost his appeal against a ruling barring him from participating in May’s presidential election. The Constitutional Court issued the final ruling on Tuesday afternoon after …

The government of Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is expected to lose a vote of confidence on Tuesday, pitching the country into its third general election in barely three years. A majority of MPs are expected to vote against him, toppling his right-of-centre minority government. While Portugal’s President, Marcelo Rebelo …

Paul Kirby Europe digital editor Reuters When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered up to 200,000 soldiers into Ukraine, his aim was to sweep into the capital, Kyiv, in a matter of days. He wanted to overthrow the pro-Western government and return Ukraine to Russia’s sphere of influence. Putin failed, but …

James Waterhouse Ukraine correspondent Reporting fromKirovohrad region Getty Images As part of ceasefire negotiations, the US and Ukraine have negotiated a deal to jointly exploit the country’s natural resources Senior Ukrainian and US officials are meeting today in Saudi Arabia to discuss how the war in Ukraine ends. The US …

Lawmakers in France have overwhelmingly backed a bill making it easier to open bars in villages – a move aimed at reviving social life in small rural communities. In a 156-2 vote on Monday, MPs decided to loosen strict restrictions on new bar permits to sell alcohol. The bill still …

Reuters Marco Rubio said he hoped the pause in US aid to Ukraine could be “resolved” but that Tuesday’s talks “would be key to that”. America’s top diplomat has said that he sees promise in Ukraine’s proposal for a partial ceasefire to end the war with Russia, ahead of talks …

EPA Vice-President JD Vance said President Zelensky should be more grateful for US support during the heated White House exchange US Vice-President JD Vance’s cousin has criticised him and President Donald Trump for “belittling” Volodymyr Zelensky during the three men’s Oval Office showdown in February. “There’s a certain level of …

Romanian far-right populist Calin Georgescu has appealed against the country’s Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) decision to bar him from participating in May’s presidential election. Constitutional court judges will meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss Georgescu’s appeal, and a final ruling should be issued by Wednesday evening. The BEC rejected his …

Adrienne Murray BBC News, Copenhagen Getty Images Questions around independence – and what pace it should go at – has taken centre stage in campaigning in Greenland Residents of Greenland head to the polls on Tuesday in a vote that in previous years has drawn little outside attention – but …

The Trump administration believes Ukraine’s leadership is “ready to move forward” on the US demand for a ceasefire process with Russia, according to a senior US state department official. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are due to arrive in Saudi Arabia for …

Andy Jones/BBC Ivan and Olesia are now living with their children Kyrylo and Oleksandra in Kent In January visa changes which prevented Ukrainians from bringing their children to join them in the UK were reversed, giving hundreds of families hope they could finally be reunited. Ivan Vitsyn and his wife …

Pope Francis, who has been battling pneumonia and bronchitis for more than three weeks, has shown a “good response” to treatment, the Vatican has said. “The clinical condition of the Holy Father in recent days has remained stable and, consequently, indicates a good response to the treatment,” the Vatican said. …

Nick Beake Europe correspondent BBC All his adult life, Colonel Soren Knudsen stepped forward when his country called. And when its allies did. He fought alongside US troops, notably in Afghanistan, and for a time was Denmark’s most senior officer there. He counted 58 rocket attacks during his duty. “I …

Getty Images President Donald Trump will receive a bowl of shamrock again this year St Patrick’s Day is associated with its fair share of traditions, from wearing a sprig of shamrock, to attending a church service to sipping one (or several) pints of stout. For politicians from the island of …

US President Donald Trump has said he is “strongly considering large-scale sanctions” and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace deal with Ukraine is reached. Trump said he was contemplating the move because “Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now”. Trump’s comments marked a sharp change …

Chris Bell BBC News Investigations Tom Beal BBC News Investigations Daniel De Simone BBC News Investigations Correspondent BBC Roman Dobrokhotov is used to looking over his shoulder. The Russian journalist’s investigations into Vladimir Putin’s regime – one of which unmasked the agents responsible for the 2018 Salisbury poisonings – have …