The Duke of Cambridge has taken to the air for the first time over the Falkland Islands as he began a controversial six-week tour of duty as a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.

India, the world's fourth largest oil consumer has informed the US and Europe that it will not participate in the embargo on Iranian oil scheduled to start - if it starts - this summer. "It is not possible for India to take any decision to reduce the imports from Iran drastically, because among the countries which can provide the requirement of the emerging economies, Iran is an important cou...

Two bombs planted by Irish Republican Army dissidents detonated on Thursday night in the Northern Ireland city of Londonderry, but no injuries were reported as police quickly evacuated the area following phoned warnings. This is pretty much the way it’s been going for a century now. One group starts to fight for that United Ireland

Incoming from Detlev Schlichter: Just a heads-up in case you are interested, I will be one of four guests on Andrew Marr's show Start the Week on BBC Radio Four on Monday, 16th January. The program starts at 9 am but there are various 'listen again' facilities, and it will also be published as a podcast. The topic is the financial crisis, and the other guests are The Economist'...

Ahmadi-Nejad arrives in Venezuela in bid to strengthen economic ties in the region in face of increasing isolation

We heard twice from France this week that they plan to fast-track implementation of a Financial Transaction Tax by the end of this year. Twenty-five of 27 EU countries are in support according to the French. Not a bad start to the year for the Robin Hood Tax campaign.

Michael Gove has never been timid in confronting the education bureaucracy, but his attack on them today is particularly — and noteworthily — unforgiving. Referring to those truculent local authorities that are blocking his schools reforms, he will say in a speech that starts in about ten minutes: ‘The same ideologues who are happy with failure — the enemies of promise R...

A New Year Message from Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband: Britain starts 2012 in the most difficult of moments. Economic gloom, rising unemployment, falling living standards. What I have heard, going round the country in the last year, are the same concerns everywhere: young people struggling to find work, families feeling their living standards squeezed, parents fearful about what kind of future l...

Britain starts 2012 in the most difficult of moments. Economic gloom, rising unemployment, falling living standards. What I have heard, going round the country in the last year, are the same concerns everywhere: young people struggling to find work, families feeling their living standards squeezed, parents fearful about what kind of future lies ahead for their children.

Dumfries and Galloway Council agrees a £6m package of cuts to services as it starts its budget setting process for next year.