The UK is asked to play a role in "technical discussions" over a proposed new EU fiscal pact despite refusing to sign up to the agreement.

Ratings agency Fitch downgrades six of the world's largest banks, including Goldman Sachs and Barclays, citing the challenging financial markets.

Lack of motive and faulty evidence led to the acquittal of Amanda Knox of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, an Italian court says.

Ships in the Antarctic are racing to rescue a Russian fishing vessel taking on water next to an ice shelf, but sea ice is hampering their progress.

Police in Bahrain detain prominent blogger and rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja during a protest near the capital Manama, reports say.

Self-styled revolutionary "Carlos the Jackal" is convicted by a French court of organising four deadly attacks in the 1980s and sentenced to life in prison.

Former French President Jacques Chirac says he has no plans to appeal againt a sentence for diverting public funds, but denies the charges.

Research in Motion, which makes Blackberry phones, announces a delay to the launch of its new Blackberry 10 phones.