Russia has threatened to "react" with "military resources" if a US anti-missile shield is set up near its borders. That's according to a statement the Russian Foreign Ministry posted on its website. The announcement comes just hours after the US
The United States has enacted more sanctions on Iranian officials and companies suspected of aiding the country in the development of nuclear weapons. The sanctions freeze the assets and cut off financial transactions with six individuals and five companies listed
China says six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme will resume in Bejing this week for the first time in nine months. The talks scheduled for July 10 come after North Korea delivered a declaration of its nuclear activities and
The European Parliament has voted to support closer scrutiny of a controversial gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. In a non-binding motion, the parliament called on the EU executive to launch a new investigation into the environmental impact of the
Austrian parties have agreed to hold an early parliamentary election on September 28. This comes after the governing coalition of Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer collapsed. The conservative junior coalition partner walked out on Monday after 18 months marked by feuding over
The German electronics giant Siemens says it intends to cut 16,750 jobs or shed four percent of its workforce worldwide by 2010 in a bid to save 1.2 billion euros in overhead costs. Most of the job cuts will be
German police have arrested a Rwandan war crimes suspect in the German city of Frankfurt. Callixte Mbarushimana, a former UN employee is wanted for his alleged role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Officials announced on Tuesday that he had
With recent bombings killing four people in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, Germany has proposed a plan for ending the ongoing conflict in the region.
A European Ariane-5 rocket has blasted off from a space base in French Guiana and put two satellites into orbit. It was the fourth launch of an Ariane rocket this year. One satellite is to provide television and broadband services
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has met with US President George W. Bush at the G8 summit in Japan's northern Island of Hokkaido. She said she was "very satisfied" with the work of the Group of Eight on issues of climate
Israel and Hezbollah have signed a UN-mediated prisoner exchange deal which they negotiated last month. The date for the swap is to be settled this week. A statement from the Israeli government says the deal was signed in front of
The Colombian government says it is looking into establishing direct contact with FARC rebels in a bid to have more hostages released. The move came just days after a Colombian military operation freed French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 others,
Austrian conservative Vice-Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer of the People's Party has called for early elections. He accuses his Social Democrats coalition partners of having abandoned the government's common EU policy and says he can no longer effectively govern with them. Last
French cyclist Samuel Dumoulin has won the third stage of the Tour de France, a 208-km run from St Malo to Nantes on Monday. American William Frischkorn finished second and Frenchman Romain Feillu, who came home third, took the overall
The British government has raised doubts over European targets to source 10 percent of transport fuels from biofuels by 2020. Britain's Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said current goals were no longer backed by scientific advice. The statement comes after a
European Union ministers have agreed on a common policy to stem illegal immigration in the 27-nation-bloc. Ministers meeting in the French city of Cannes expressed optimism that the "European Pact on Immigration and Asylum" could be finalised by October, after
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has for the first time, met with US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the sidelines of the G8 summit. Medvedev said Moscow and Washington should keep up dialogue despite failing
Lufthansa has cancelled more than 500 flights as members of the pilots union Cockpit hold a 24-hour strike at the carrier's CityLine and Eurowings units in an ongoing pay dispute. The walkout affects passengers at airports across Europe and in
