How Russians took on their government

Former Federal Security Service agents and inspectors who criticised their leaders have been sent to jail or killed

Kraft launches £9.8bn hostile bid for Cadbury

Dairy Milk maker issues a withering rebuff to the US food giant, describing its offer as 'unattractive' and 'derisory'

FBI to probe Fort Hood gunman's 9/11 links

Senator Joe Lieberman calls for inquiry into whether US Army failed to spot Major Nidal Hasan turning to extremism

IN DEPTH: a sensitive task

Gordon Brown has fallen foul of the official policy that Prime Minister should write to all bereaved military families

Brown 'mortified' over misspelt letter of condolence

Prime Minister pledges to continue writing messages himself despite getting name of dead serviceman wrong

Fisherman tells of lucky escape after shark attack

Dean Brougham thought one of his mates was pulling his leg in the water until he turned around and saw the face of a shark

Chinese official found dead after boozy dinner

Ruddy-faced and jovial Communist Party secretary Shen Hao found dead after an alcohol-fuelled dinner with investors

IN FULL: the Thaksin Shinawatra transcript

Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor of The Times, spoke to ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at his Dubai home

Saudis killed retaking village from rebels

The violence has threatened to drag Saudi Arabia into a battle between the Yemen Government and a small Shia Muslim group

Shadow of Kristallnacht over Berlin party

The world is in Berlin to party but there will be no triumphalism for Germans on a day of contrition over the 1938 Nazi pogrom

President 'insensitive' over Fort Hood shootings

The President’s absence from US's largest military base is in contrast to a low-key visit by his predecessor on Friday

Afghans have waited eight years for security

Counter-insurgency theory has moved from the idea of simply killing Taleban fighters to focusing on protecting the populace

ANALYSIS: everyone for himself in the city of unity

After the finale of the Berlin Wall celebrations, EU leaders will fight over the top jobs made possible by the events of 1989

A first step — but a big one — for Barack Obama

He has achieved what no other US President has done: the passage of a sweeping health reform Bill in a chamber of Congress

US pullout on course after MPs pass election law

August deadline for Iraq withdrawal safe after wrangling MP agree complicated compromise for conduct of national elections

Poppies evoke foreign field of Afghanistan

Britons are more aware of their soldiers' sacrifices than at any time since 1945. But then, the war was plainly necessary

Grief and prayers on Remembrance Sunday

As the deaths of two more soldiers are announced, servicemen in Afghanistan and at the Cenotaph remember fallen comrades

China offers its hand in friendship - and £10bn

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao doubles loans pledged in Beijing three years ago, but critics say there are ulterior motives