Syria-Russia deal threatens new 'Cold War'

West fears Damascus wants to exploit soaring tensions with Russia as Bashar al-Assad agrees defence deal

Bishop of Beijing invites Pope to visit China

The Vatican has described the invitation as 'very positive and encouraging' but says there are still unresolved problems

Airline defends take-off amid relatives' anger

Spanair says it was correct in allowing plane with technical problems to take off, despite subsequent crash killing 153

Russian troops dig in around Georgia port

A single column of Russian tanks left Georgia today while further troops strengthened their stranglehold on the main port

Survivor: 'I've had an accident, but I'm okay'

Survivor from Madrid air disaster borrowed fireman's telephone to tell her brother that she was alive

Knights Templar not heretical says scholar

Vatican publishes prayer Knights Templar composed when imprisoned, as alleged heirs fight to restore group's reputation

China blocks iTunes over Tibet album

Apple online music store falls foul of censors after more than 40 Olympic athletes access pro-Tibet album from the site

Full passenger list: Spanair crash flight JK5022

The passengers on board an aircraft that crashed at Madrid aiport en route to the Canary Islands, killing 153 people

Pope appoints commander of Swiss Guard

The Pontiff has selected Daniel Rudolf Anrig as the new, young head of the colourful and historic papal protection force

Kremlin fury as US and Poland sign missile deal

Condoleezza Rice signs defence shield pact with Poland that will see missile base just 115 miles from the Russia border

Brown faces leadership questions in Kabul

PM tells UK troops that they deserve gold as much as British Olympians, but fails to avoid quiz over domestic troubles

Elderly Chinese women punished for protest

The two women were penalised after applying to demonstrate in Olympic 'protest pen' against being forcibly evicted

Turkey holiday town blast injures 16

The car-bomb in the district of Izmir tore through a minibus owned by the Turkish security forces which was passing by

Nowhere to go but home for Gary Glitter

The disgraced singer is on his way back to Thailand where officials say they'll deport him immediately

Madrid crash plane had troubled history

Aircraft cancelled two previous flights, while a handful survived after being thrown into stream Watch our video

World in Brief

Second day of suicide attacks in Algeria | Floods leave 80,000 people stranded in India | New leader appointed in Zambia

Friends, family and the world have shunned Glitter

His family have shunned him and former business colleagues have also disowned the former singer

Musharraf forced to abandon dream home

Pervez Musharraf may be forced to give up the house he had built amid growing security concerns following his resignation

Sarkozy rallies his troops after deaths

French President stands behind his decision to send more troops into what is widely seen as an unwinnable war in Afghanistan

Captain Cook's boomerang makes a good return

Strange, crooked stick explorer brought back from Australia up for auction