TURKEY-POPE

ANKARA, Turkey - Pope Francis arrived in Turkey on Friday at a sensitive moment for the Muslim nation, as it cares for 1.6 million refugees and weighs how to deal with the Islamic State group as its fighters grab chunks of Syria and Iraq across Turkey's southern border. Francis was expected to use his opening speeches to denounce the violence being committed in God's name by the extremists. 

EU-FRANCE-SARKOZY

PARIS - Nicolas Sarkozy tried to quit politics after losing the French presidency, and instead followed his wife's singing tours and traveled the speakers' circuit. Now he's back, almost certain to win leadership of his troubled conservative party in an election starting Friday - but the divisive, hard-edged Sarkozy will face a much tougher battle to regain the presidency. 

GERMANY-ART TROVE

BERLIN - The Jewish Claims Conference said Friday it has already identified a painting stolen by the Nazis among a newly published inventory of hundreds of works that belonged to late German collector Cornelius Gurlitt, and pushed for more time to investigate others. 

OIL IMPACT

A renewed plunge in oil prices is a worrying sign of weakness in the global economy that could shake governments dependent on oil revenues. Yet it is also a bonus for consumers as prices fall at the pump, giving individuals more spending money and lowering costs for many businesses.

GERMANY-DOOMED VILLAGE

ATTERWASCH, Germany - Five days a week, a giant machine eats its way through soil at the Jaenschwalde open-cast mine in eastern Germany, exposing the brown coal buried beneath. Lignite, as this form of compressed peat is known, is becoming an increasingly important part of Germany's effort to phase out nuclear energy. It's also the reason why Atterwasch, a village that survived the Thirty Years' War, a Soviet onslaught at the end of World War II and four hard decades of communist rule is slated to be razed. 

RUSSIA-REBEL DOCTORS

MOSCOW - Dr. Semyon Galperin spent a decade in medical research in Russia and as much time in the United States, working at top hospitals and research companies. Despite his expertise, Galperin was recently given a stark ultimatum from the Moscow hospital where he works: Leave or stay on as a lowly hospital attendant. Galperin's job is being eliminated as part of a sweeping reform in which at least 28 Moscow hospitals are to be closed and up to 10,000 medical staff fired. 

MOLDOVA-ELECTIONS

CHISINAU, Moldova - A wealthy pro-Russian candidate who had hoped to be Moldova's next prime minister fled the country before dawn Friday, a dramatic development two days before elections in a country that is deeply torn over whether to move closer to Russia or the West. 

SWITZERLAND-SAVING THE GOLD

GENEVA - In Switzerland, a campaign is on to protect the country's wealth by investing in gold - a lot of gold. In a test of their sense of financial security, the Swiss are being asked to vote on a proposal to make the central bank hold a fifth of its reserves in gold within five years. That would mean buying gold worth more than $60 billion.

FRANCE-PALESTINIAN STATE

PARIS - French legislators are debating whether to pressure the government to recogne a Palestinian state, in hopes that helps lead to lasting Middle East peace. The debate in France's National Assembly on Friday comes amid growing European support for a Palestinian state. Many are frustrated with the deadlock in peace talks, and with the Israeli government's actions in Gaza and in supporting the growth of Jewish settlements.

GREECE-MIGRANT SHIP

IERAPETRA, Greece - Nearly 600 men, women and children, mostly refugees from Syria, have been temporarily put up in the southern Cretan town of Ierapetra, where they arrived in a crippled smuggling ship after more than a week at sea. Red Cross volunteers issued warm meals and clothing Friday, while authorities are trying to establish which of the migrants qualify for refugee status.