British anti-terrorism investigators are retracing the steps of the former Russian spy who died in a London hospital Nov. 23 after claiming he'd been poisoned. Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former KGB officer who was critical of the current Russian government and was investigating the death of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, had accused President Vladimir Putin of being behind what now appears to be Litvinenko's radiation poisoning.

TURKEY

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to meet Pope Benedict XVI on the pontiff's first official trip to a Muslim country. He was scheduled to arrive in Turkey Nov. 28. The four-day visit comes two months after the pope angered Muslims worldwide by delivering controversial speech in Germany in which he quoted a 14th-century emperor who had condemned Islam. Religious leaders say they hope the visit will help heal wounds.

FRANCE

Sports officials have spoken out against the racist violence of soccer fans after about 100 of them set upon a Jewish fan and a black police officer during a Nov. 23 game at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. They were heard shouting anti-Semitic and other racist remarks. Tthe police officer fired his gun, killing one man and injuring another.

THE NETHERLANDS

Analysts expect a long period of political and economic uncertainty following the country's Nov. 22 election, which resulted in a win for the ruling Christian Democrats (CDA) but failed to give any party a majority in Parliament. The CDA won 41 seats in the 150-member Parliament. The country has recently experienced a surge in support for the far right and the far left.

UKRAINE

Leaders marked the second anniversary of Ukraine's Orange Revolution with a subdued ceremony Nov. 22; the majority of voters are disillusioned by their leaders' failure to bring about significant changes. Small gatherings took place on Kyiv's Independence Square, the site of the 2004 demonstrations that led to a court ruling that overturned a rigged election and put President Viktor Yushchenko into office.

CROATIA