2013-12-17

A European Parliament delegation has visited Tehran to discuss a host of issues, including human rights. The death penalty, which is legal in Iran

What measures to take to supervise Europe’s banks? Wind them up when they are no longer working, and stop them from dragging whole countries into the

Germany’s new Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has blasted Russia in his inaugural speech for exploiting Ukraine’s economic plight to prevent

Turkish police have detained at least 49 people in Istanbul and Ankara as part of a high-level corruption probe. The sons of Interior Minister

In the Central African Republic town of Bossangoa, Muslims and Christians used to live together, in relative harmony. Now they’ve fled for fear of

Russian President Vladimir Putin has slashed the cost of gas sold to Ukraine and agreed to buy billions of government bonds. The deal comes amid

A major gas deal has been signed in Azerbaijan, as European buyers move to try to find alternatives to energy from Russia. The agreement includes

French slalom skier Tessa Worley will miss the Winter Olympics, it’s been confirmed. The 24-year-old suffered a nasty injury at the Alpine Skiing

World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso is under investigation for match-fixing. Police have arrested four others in connection with the case which is

Austrian Marlies Schild has returned from injury to net a record-equalling 34th World Cup slalom victory. The 32-year-old – without a slalom win

A seven-meters-high Christmas tree made from 3,000 used plastic bottles has been unveiled in Baku, Azerbaijan. The authors of this project are two

In Japan the government of Shinzo Abe has approved a new defence policy designed to meet the challenge posed by a rising China. It is the latest

A British doctor who travelled to Syria to volunteer has died in detention there, according to his family. Abbas Khan, 32, an orthopaedic surgeon

After last week’s first snowfall in Cairo in 112 years, several pictures have been circulating on social media of the Egyptian capital or landmarks

London’s Metropolitan Police say there is “no credible evidence” to support the theory that the British military was involved in the death of

What a 12 months. While the mainstream acts have floundered and the major record labels have struggled to find any new talent, and in a year when

Police have stepped up security in Tunisia’s capital amid angry protests against the government. The demonstrations mark three years since a young

Former French minister Claude Guéant was arrested on Tuesday. He will be questioned in the Paris suburb of Nanterre over corruption allegations

A Turkish military helicopter has crashed after hitting high voltage cables in heavy fog near the Turkish capital Ankara, on Tuesday. The accident

A car bomb has exploded in Lebanon near the Syrian border. The blast, in an otherwise deserted and muddy open field near a Hezbollah base, appears

The now famous voice of Britain’s Susan Boyle fills one of this festive season’s movies ‘The Christmas Candle’. The story takes place in the small

Despite its small size, Cyprus enjoys a dynamic performing arts scene. Established in 2006, the Paravan Theatre Company explores experimental ways

Tammam Azzam is one of Syria’s rising young talents. Forced to abandon his canvas when he fled Damascus at the outbreak of the war, the artist had

At least 13 people are reported to have been killed on the third day of air strikes targeting Aleppo, Syria’s largest urban centre and the country’s

While an inquiry continues into the credentials of the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service following Thamsanqa Jantjie’s

It may be celebrations for Angela Merkel as she toasts a third term as German chancellor – but does she face a difficult future? Merkel’s

A more competitive Europe is the European dream in these days of austerity. But how to achieve it is always the question. In this week’s Real

Boeing has raised the dividend the US planemaker pays to investors by about 50 percent. The board also approved the buyback of an additional ten