Israel PM heads to Berlin as settlement row grows
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due in Berlin on Wednesday for talks likely to focus on the growing crisis over settlement plans that could torpedo the viability of a Palestinian state.
HSBC to sell stake in China insurer Ping An for $9.4 bn
Britain's HSBC said Wednesday it would sell its stake in China's second largest life insurer Ping An for $9.4 billion, as it looks to shift its focus back towards its traditional banking business.
US goes gaga over Britain's royal baby-to-be
News that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, aka Prince William and wife Kate, are having a baby lifted Americans' fascination with the British royal family to new heights on Tuesday.
Sperm count of French men falls by one-third: study
The sperm count in French men dropped by nearly one-third between 1989 and 2005 and the quality of sperm also declined.
Greece launches bond buyback programme
Greece's PDMA national debt agency said on Monday it had begun a voluntary buyback of the country's bonds at heavily discounted prices, a condition for receiving its latest instalment of EU-IMF bailout funds.
Italy's new centre-left leader Bersani faces test: press
Democratic Party chief Pier Luigi Bersani won primaries on Sunday to lead Italy's centre-left but now faces the challenge of uniting different currents in his party.
Russian shareholder drops $9 bn BP suit: report
A minority shareholder in BP's Russian joint venture TNK-BP has dropped a long-running $9.3 billion suit against the British oil giant.
Immigrants in OECD nations hit by economic crisis: report
Immigrants in OECD nations have been badly hit by the economic crisis especially in vulnerable states such as Ireland, Spain and Italy.
Sophie Marceau hopes to push French cinema in China
Iconic film actress Sophie Marceau said Monday France needs to start pushing its films in China where there is a huge but restricted market for movies that is largely dominated by Hollywood.
Sulphur gas boosts theory of Venus volcanoes
European scientists said on Monday they had found tantalising clues to back theories that Venus -- Earth's cursed sister -- has active volcanoes.
Pope to start tweeting next week
Pope Benedict XVI will join Twitter from December 12, with regular tweets in eight languages from the account @pontifex just in time for Christmas.
Sender of first text message 'amazed' 20 years on
The British software engineer who sent the world's first text message 20 years ago said on Monday that he is amazed at how the technology has developed.
Kazakhstan President discussed regional security with Vice-President of European Commission
Nursultan Nazarbayev met with Vice-President of the European Commission Baroness Catherine Ashton.
UK, France 'may recall envoys' over Israel settler plan
Britain and France are considering recalling their ambassadors to Israel over its plans to build new settler homes in a highly controversial area of the West Bank.
Murdoch's British newspaper chief to leave company
Rupert Murdoch's top newspaper lieutenant in Britain is to leave his post at the end of the year, it was announced Sunday, heralding the start of a major shake-up at parent company News Corporation.
Uzbekistan claims ‘undiscovered’ Veronese masterpiece
Central Asian state of Uzbekistan has with much fanfare put on display what it says is a lost masterpiece of Western art, a painting by Italian Renaissance master Paolo Veronese.
Clinton visits Czech Republic amid nuclear deal hopes
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in the Czech Republic Monday for a brief visit, hoping to win a tussle with Russia and help secure a $10 billion nuclear plant contract for US giant Westinghouse.
Kazhegeldin wants to take anti-Aliyev case to European Court of Human Rights if Maltese police fails to investigate
Akezhan Kazhegeldin and his two bodyguards promised to seek justice in the European Court of Human Rights if Maltese law-enforcement authorities do not initiate a case against Rakhat Aliyev.
Wrestling: Bakbergenova became champion of Finland tournament
Kazakhstan's Zhamilya Bakbergenova became the champion of the tournament and Svetlana Ankicheva (both free style wrestlers) got silver.
British newspapers back PM's opposition to press laws
Britain's newspapers on Friday praised senior judge Brian Leveson's report into media ethics but warned its recommendation to introduce new laws could "suffocate the free press".