Italy appeared to be heading for early elections or a government shake-up after Silvio Berlusconi moved to expel dissidents from his People of Liberty party, reducing his parliamentary majority to a thread

BP would be blocked from winning future drilling permits in the US because of its safety record under energy legislation passed by the House of Representatives

US growth slowed to an annualised rate of 2.4 per cent in the second quarter but robust business demand suggested that the economy would avoid a feared “double dip” that could drag the world back into recession

Indian paramilitary forces opened fire on angry anti-India protestors in several different parts of the troubled Muslim-majority state of Kashmir, killing at least three people

US relief at Islamabad’s retention of its powerful army chief will be tempered by documents on WikiLeaks that allege the ISI backed Afghan militants while he was in charge

A senior Beijing official’s reference to China as the ‘world’s second-largest economy’ has sparked excited speculation that Asia’s new powerhouse may have already reached a long-looming milestone by surpassing Japan

Russia called in the army to combat fires sweeping across the drought-stricken European part of the country and forcing thousands of people to flee

Senior US officials are expected to visit Iraq in August amid mounting concern that Washington will complete a significant troop withdrawal from the fragile country with no new government in office

Asil Nadir, the tycoon and alleged fraudster, is due to return to Britain after almost 20 years, but will not face punishment for fleeing the country because his bail was never properly set, a court has ruled

Europe’s top politicians are united in seeking to send out a message of moderation this summer, as they stay close to home for the holidays