Russia’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate Friday by one percentage point to 17%, a step that could support the economy as growth slows and spending on the war against Ukraine increases the budget deficit.

PARIS (AP) – As they get to know their new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, a loyal ally of President Emmanuel Macron who had been remarkably low-key before taking one of the top jobs in the land, the French are also discovering that he has a somewhat unusual habit: He likes to butt heads.

LONDON (AP) – The Netherlands added itself Friday to a list of countries pressuring organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest to drop Israel from the contest because of its war in the Gaza Strip.