Brian Rohan

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has called for the creation of a "United States of Europe", saying the bloc needed a common government.

German officials say they don't expect to take legal action against the farm for causing an E. coli outbreak that has killed at least 31 people.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government agreed to a two-tier extension of the lifespans of German nuclear power plants on Sunday.

Corruption acted as a catalyst for the global financial crisis, Transparency International said on Wednesday.

Close-to-home holidays have proliferated in the financial crisis, but now the travel industry is gearing to draw another crowd.

Resolutions at the United Nations or African Union could alter the mission of French troops in Chad, France's Foreign Minister said on Monday as a first planeload of evacuees landed at a Paris airport. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Defence Minister Herve Morin said French forces secured Chad's airbases and were protecting French and foreign civilians.

Spending caps, advertising restrictions and a total ban on TV commercials have made for a visually austere French presidential race, a stark contrast to the style of campaigning seen in the United States. Interest in politics is surging and voter registration has spiked, but it's not because of spending on advertising.