The cost of insuring BP’s debt shot up and its share price swooned after the failure of the energy company’s latest attempts to seal a pipeline that is gushing oil deep underwater in the Gulf of Mexico. BP’s share price has plummeted by 34% since April 2… more »

Thailand’s army brought an end to more than two months of protests in Bangkok. Dozens of people were killed and scores injured over several days as troops moved in to break up the red-shirt camps and capture their leaders. The government imposed a curfew… more »

Wall Street was stunned as civil-fraud charges were brought against Goldman Sachs. The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that the bank deceived investors in a synthetic collateralised-debt obligation built on mortgage assets, by not disclosing t… more »

The crisis surrounding Greece's debt situation gathered pace, despite the prime minister's assurance that "the worst is over". The yield on ten-year Greek government bonds jumped sharply, pushing Greece's premium over German bonds to the highest level si… more »

Dozens of bombs in Baghdad, most of them non-lethal, heralded Iraq’s general election on March 7th. Turnout was lower than in 2005 but most Iraqis were determined to exercise their democratic rights. Rival alliances led by the prime minister, Nuri al-Mal… more »

Coalition troops in Afghanistan mounted their biggest offensive against the Taliban since the start of the eight-year war. Centred on Marja, a Taliban stronghold in Helmand province, it involved foreign and Afghan forces. The coalition said early stages… more »