Defence Secretary Philip Hammond believes himself vindicated by the High Court ruling that his Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) is independent.
A look at the causes and possible outcomes of Silvio Berlusconi and his right-wing coalition's lead in the polls.
Attacks such as yesterday's horrific murder in Woolwich didn't happen before the 'war on terror.' It's time we recognised the consequences of the conflicts we've unleashed
THE Kuwaiti parliament approved a Bill granting women political rights yesterday, clearing the way for women to run in parliamentary elections for the first time in the Gulf state's history.
SOUTH Korea tried to coax North Korea back into disarmament talks yesterday, when the two sides met for their first reconciliation talks in 10 months.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to Iraq yesterday, urging Iraqis weary of repeated bombings and insecurity to be patient as the country's new government takes over.
ABOUT 500 bodies have been laid out in a school in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan, where troops fired on a crowd of protesters to put down an uprising, a doctor in the town said yesterday.
EUROPEAN Union finance ministers, meeting in Luxembourg at the weekend, poured cold water on the Blair government's plan to double annual development aid to Africa.
ETHIOPIA'S main opposition leader Hailu Shawel called for his coalition to reject the results of the country's parliamentary elections even before polls closed yesterday, alleging that there had been massive irregularities across the country.
SUSPECTED members of Basque separatist group ETA set off four small bombs in their region of Spain yesterday, the day after the government said that it was seeking support for opening negotiations with the organisation if it renounces violence.
THE Iranian parliament voted yesterday to require the government to develop its nuclear fuel cycle, which would include the controversial process of enriching uranium.
A MARCH by more than 12,000 landless Brazilian farmers protesting at the slow pace of government land reform reached the outskirts of the capital Brasilia at the weekend.
VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez accused the United States at the weekend of trying to destabilise his government and spur infighting within the military, urging his supporters to respond by showing their unity.