Seattle Post-Intelligencer: AP

Europe

Boot Knut: Berlin's star polar bear faces eviction
BERLIN -- Knut the superstar polar bear turns two on Friday looking nothing like the button-eyed ball of white fluff who captured hearts around the world. (Updated 5:59 p.m. PT)

New JK Rowling book goes on sale around the world
EDINBURGH, Scotland -- The latest magical tome by J.K. Rowling has started to fly off bookstore shelves. (Updated 2:42 p.m. PT)

European court makes landmark ruling on DNA rights
LONDON -- Europe's top human rights court Thursday struck down a British law that allows the government to store DNA and fingerprints from people with no criminal record - a landmark decision that could force Britain to destroy nearly 1 million samples on its database. (Updated 12:21 p.m. PT)

Putin makes crude outburst about Georgian leader
MOSCOW -- Reveling in his reputation for earthy language, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin unabashedly confirmed a crude outburst against Georgia's president and even took the tirade a step further Thursday. (Updated 12:05 p.m. PT)

UN says poor nations need $130B for climate change
POZNAN, Poland -- The U.N. climate change organization has said the world's poor countries will need $130 billion dollars a year by 2030 to help them adapt to global warming and curb their carbon emissions. (Updated 12:04 p.m. PT)

Flood washes away some qualms over barrier project
VENICE, Italy -- The luxury Bauer hotel was inundated by calls of concern and cancellations this week - but was spared the floodwaters that swamped most of the city. (Updated 11:26 a.m. PT)

Testimony doesn't link US soldier to 4 dead Iraqis
VILSECK, Germany -- A defense lawyer told a military court Thursday that witnesses had provided insufficient evidence to support charges that a U.S. Army sergeant was involved in killing four Iraqi men found bound, blindfolded, shot and dumped in a Baghdad canal. (Updated 11:17 a.m. PT)

OSCE gives cool response on Russian security pact
HELSINKI, Finland -- Russian plans for a European security pact drew a cool response from a long-established, trans-Atlantic group Thursday, with the U.S. saying there was no need for a new "security architecture." (Updated 11:04 a.m. PT)

Germany: Anti-Hitler plotter land claim rejected
POTSDAM, Germany -- A German court on Thursday rejected a compensation claim for thousands of acres of family land by the grandson of a German aristocrat who took part in a 1944 plot to kill Adolf Hitler. (Updated 10:52 a.m. PT)

Additional headlines:
- Putin: no need for Cuban, Venezuelan bases
- Serb police search home of Mladic's son
- 93 countries sign cluster bomb ban
- British mother found guilty in kidnap of daughter
- Murder case dropped in Dutch woman's late abortion
- Russia's leaders optimistic about ties with US
- Court rules EU illegally froze Iran group's funds
- Putin hosts live Q&A broadcast
- Politkovskaya trial closed for classified evidence

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
- UK trash man to keep sliced up cash
- Russia to send warship through Panama Canal
- Doctors' panel won't rule on 'miracles' at Lourdes
- Human noise drowns out song of whales
- French aid worker freed in Afghanistan
- German priest finds live baby laid in manger
- Obama's election brings hope to climate talks
- Spain: Businessman is shot, killed in ETA attack
- Brown's brief agenda stokes 2009 election talk
- Police had no warrant in lawmaker search
- Killer of medalists' wife convicted
- No sign of hard times as Queen opens Parliament
- NATO backs US missile shield over Russian protest
- Gas explosion leaves 28 injured in Spain
- Italian judge suspends trial of CIA agents
- Italian suspects discussed making firecracker bomb
- Pope says banks should support weakest
- NATO: Albania and Croatia to join by April
- Conjoined twin dies after separation surgery
- Deadline for global climate treaty in question

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008
- Rabbi in Ukraine says synagogue plans threatened
- Talks to form coalition government in Romania
- Medvedev calls for transparency in Russian courts
- Italian police arrest 9 in jewelry robbery
- US army deserter applies for asylum in Germany
- Muslim cleric ordered back to jail in Britain
- High tide wallops Venice for 2nd straight day
- EU official warns of 'slave-like' labor market
- US official: India attack may have Pakistani roots
- Judge: No unlawful killing in death of Brazilian
- Activists: no progress yet at climate talks
- Body-swap illusion tricks mind in new study
- Nations prepare for cluster bomb accord
- Condoleezza Rice plays piano at Buckingham Palace

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2008
- Fire on ferry in Baltic Sea, no injuries
- Rich world needs more foreign workers: report