The latest skirmish between Beijing and the Internet search leader threatens to cripple the company in one of the Web's biggest markets. Google agreed Tuesday to dismantle the virtual bridge to its Hong site that was created in March, but it was unclear whether that will be enough to stay in business in China.

• June 30, 2010

Russia and the US were facing their most serious diplomatic crisis of the Obama era last night after the Kremlin angrily denounced the arrest of 10 US-based Russian spies and said the FBI operation was an unsavoury cold war plot.

• June 30, 2010

A Chinese research vessel and ice-breaker is due to set sail this week for the Arctic, a region much coveted by Beijing for its wealth of scientific data and natural resources.

• June 30, 2010

The problem of European pension funds has long been known: more people are retiring and fewer people are working. But governments across Europe are finding it difficult to convince people to retire later in life.

• June 30, 2010

Today, relations between Russia and the West focus mainly on the “reset,” as well as cooperation on modernization and Western investments in Russia.

• June 30, 2010

Lithuanian companies are seeking to expand to Belarus and make investments, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said in Minsk

• June 29, 2010

The formation of a parliamentary system of governance, which was approved by referendum passed in Kyrgyzstan uniquely evaluate by experts.

• June 29, 2010

Despite fears about another outbreak of ethnic violence, Kyrgyzstan has voted on a new constitution that could pave the way for the first parliamentary democracy in Central Asia. Early results show voters are in favor.

• June 29, 2010