An Italian appeals court on May 9 confirmed a lower court's sentence against former Italian Prime Minister and leader of the center-right People of Freedom party Silvio Berlusconi for fiscal fraud, la Repubblica reported.

The White House is rethinking its opposition to arming Syrian rebels, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said at a news conference with British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond on May 2, AP reported.

Police in Athens on May 2 stopped a group from the far-right Golden Dawn party from giving out free food to residents on Syntagma Square, where the Greek Parliament is located, the BBC reported.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Europe on May Day to protest austerity measures, Reuters reported May 1.

Three British soldiers were killed April 30 in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device hit their vehicle, the British Ministry of Defense said May 1, Reuters reported.

Cyprus' parliament has approved a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, BBC reported April 30.

A French special forces soldier was killed and two more were injured during a reconnaissance mission in northeastern Mali on April 29 when their vehicle was hit by an explosion, according to a statement by the French ministry of defense.

Two police officers were shot and wounded outside the Italian prime minister's office while the government of Prime Minister Enrico Letta was sworn in April 28, Reuters reported.

Iceland's center-right Independence Party and Progressive Party have each won 19 seats in the country's 63-seat Parliament, preliminary election results showed April 28, AP reported.

Italy formed a new government April 27 after two months of political deadlock, AP reported.