» Barack Obama cancels meeting with Dalai Lama 'to keep China happy'

US President Barack Obama has refused to meet the Dalai Lama in Washington this week in a move to curry favour with the Chinese.

» Facebook saves NY robbery suspect from 25-year jail term

Rodney Bradford from New York won his freedom, thanks to his Facebook status update, which showed what he was doing at the time the crime was committed.

» Taliban wealthier than Al-Qaida: US official

The Taliban are in much stronger financial shape than Al-Qaida and rely on a wide range of criminal activities to pay for attacks on US and coalition forces in Afghanistan, a senior Treasury Department official has said.

» Storms rip through Europe, kill up to 50 in France

The storms ripped through cities, uprooting trees and street signs, wreaking havoc on rail networks and forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled at airports like Paris and Frankfurt.

» UK MPs' expenses: 325 MPs told to 'pay up or explain'

At least 325 MPs will be ordered this week to repay money or provide further details of their parliamentary allowances by the head of an official inquiry into the Commons expenses scandal.

» Go to jail or join jihad against India: ISI tells surrendered Taliban

In a new shift in tactics, Pakistan is planning to push as many as 60 "surrendered" Taliban into Jammu and Kashmir to become part of the "jihad" against India.