Peace talks ‘difficult’ for Abbas amid settlement row
March 11, 2010
The Palestinian Authority has said indirect talks with Israel will be “very difficult” if more homes are built on occupied land as planned.
Israel announced the plan for 1,600 more homes in occupied East Jerusalem shortly before a peace process visit by US Vice-President Joe Biden.
Iceland holds referendum on Icesave repayment plan
March 6, 2010
Icelanders are going to the polls to vote on paying the UK and Netherlands after the collapse of the Icesave bank, with a resounding “no” vote expected.
The British and Dutch governments want reimbursement for the 3.8bn euros (£3.4bn; $5.2bn) they paid out in compensation to customers in 2008.
German Islamists convicted over bomb plot
March 4, 2010
Four Islamists have been convicted by a court in Germany of plotting to attack US facilities in the country.
The men, two of whom were German-born converts to Islam, were given prison sentences of between five and 12 years.
Dutch cabinet collapses in dispute over Afghanistan
February 20, 2010
The Dutch government has collapsed over disagreements within the governing coalition on extending troop deployments in Afghanistan.
After marathon talks, Christian Democratic Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced that the Labour Party was quitting the government.
Mr Balkenende has been considering a Nato request for Dutch forces to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2010.
Taliban commander Mullah Baradar ’seized in Pakistan’
February 16, 2010
A man described as the top Afghan Taliban military commander and named as Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been captured in Pakistan, US officials say.
He was seized in a US-Pakistani raid seven to nine days ago, a Pakistani military official told the BBC.
Afghanistan offensive on Taliban in Helmand
February 13, 2010
Nato-led forces say they are making good progress hours after launching the biggest offensive in Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.
There were clashes as more than 15,000 US, UK and Afghan troops swept into the Helmand areas of Marjah and Nad Ali in a bid to secure government control.
The Afghan Army said 70% of Marjah had been cleared, while a UK commander said 11 Taliban bases had been captured.
France Concorde crash trial set to begin
February 2, 2010
US airline Continental and five individuals go on trial in France later over the crash of an Air France Concorde nearly 10 years ago.
The jet took off in flames from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and crashed minutes later, killing 113 people.
Ethiopian Airlines jet crashes into sea off Beirut
January 25, 2010
An Ethiopian Airlines passenger plane with 90 people on board has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off from Beirut airport.
Eyewitnesses say they saw a ball of fire in the sky before Addis Ababa-bound Flight ET409 fell into the sea after taking off in stormy weather.
China economy shows strong growth in 2009
January 21, 2010
China has said its economy expanded by 8.7% in 2009, exceeding even the government’s own initial expectations.
The pace of change increased as the year went on, with growth in the final quarter of 2009 increasing by 10.7% from the same period a year earlier.
China is now on course to overtake Japan and become the world’s second-biggest economy.
Afghan capital Kabul hit by co-ordinated Taliban attack
January 18, 2010
Suspected Taliban militants have launched an attack in the Afghan capital Kabul, setting off explosions and sparking a gun battle.
The fighting erupted near the Serena Hotel and presidential palace, although Afghan President Hamid Karzai says security has now been restored.