Obama: 'despair' growing in Middle East

Candidate cautions against missing opportunity for peace during Israel trip, but issues warning to Iran if it goes nuclear

White House defends 'colourful' Bush comments

Hasty defence of video showing US President telling dinner guests that housing market crashed because Wall St got drunk

Cardinal: Anglicans have 'spiritual Alzheimer's'

Close ally of the Pope Ivan Dias also indicated that the schism-torn Anglican Communion could have 'ecclesial Parkinson's'

Soldier gets George Cross for diving on grenade

Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher survived virtually unscathed despite the grenade exploding underneath him

Arsonists attack Gypsy camp in Rome

Italy's debate on xenophobia reopens as the Government of Silvio Berlusconi voteds for tougher measures on street crime

Wealth of EU dims appetite for old Serbia

The scale of the demonstration against Radovan Karadzic's arrest spoke volumes for the political sea change in Serbia

Whatever floats your boat . . .

Tao villagers of Orchid Island celebrate the building of the first fishing to be made on the island in seven years

World in brief

EU stops Bulgarian aid | President sworn in | Quake jolts Japan | Arrests foiled Eta ‘plot' | Killer blaze ‘not arson’

EU hits Zimbabwe with new sanctions package

The new embargo identified 37 supporters of the regime whose assets will be frozen and who will be subject to a visa ban

India Government wins vote to save nuclear deal

Victory over-shadowed by three MPs who waved wads of cash in the air saying they were offered a £1.1 million to abstain

Gaddafi rages against Switzerland after son held

Dictator suspends diplomats, cuts flights and jails two Swiss nationals since son, Hannibal, held for assault in Geneva

Berlusconi puts himself 'above the law'

The Italian Left accuses Silvio Berlusconi of 'moving towards dictatorship' after the Senate approves new immunity bill

Stadium collapses during bullfight

At least 80 people were injured during a bullfight when an overcrowded stand collapsed on spectators in Colombia

'Etiquette classes' for Brits heading to India

Brits visiting India, with one of the world's most rapidly expanding economies, are to be given special cultural classes

Karadzic 'will defend himself' at trial

Genocide suspect's lawyer says he will launch his own defence during his trial at The Hague after his arrest on Monday

'Tight jeans are not a chastity belt'

Italy's top appeals court overturns ruling that a woman wearing tight jeans cannot by definition be raped or molested

Fugitive Serb's alter ego as New Age doctor

Radovan Karadzic, accused over Srebrenica massacre, had become a celebrated therapist under a false name Watch video

British soldier killed in Afghanistan

Royal Engineer attached to 2 Para was fatally wounded by roadside device during firefight with insurgents last night

Analysis: King Singh finallly roars over nuclear deal

Victory in the crucial no-confidence vote saw Indian PM come of age, but bribery claims could taint him permanantly

Benazir Bhutto's bodyguard shot dead

Police believe that Khalid Shahenshar was targeted, as rumours fly that he was linked to Ms Bhutto's murder