German Chancellor Angela Merkel defends the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, whose drawings of the Prophet Muhammad caused outrage in 2006.

BP's internal investigation into the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico finds that "a series of failures" was to blame

Labour MPs have rejected a move to allow the new party leader to choose who serves in the shadow cabinet.

President Obama urges Congress to approve billions in tax breaks and spending to boost the US economy ahead of November's elections.

David Cameron's father Ian dies in hospital in France shortly after the Prime Minister joined other members of his family at his bedside.

Wall Street banking giant Goldman Sachs is fined £20m by the UK's financial watchdog, the BBC learns.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen hopes to play for South African franchise Kwa-Zulu Natal in two matches as a warm-up for this winter's Ashes.

Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier is named new manager of Aston Villa.

A US pastor says he is not "backing down" from plans to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11, despite international condemnation.

Closing dozens of small embassies to save money would be a "false economy" as they do not cost much, says William Hague.