Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff suffered a devastating blow when the Chamber of Deputies voted to open impeachment proceedings against her.

Embattled Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff lashed out at the two men in line to succeed her if she is impeached, calling her vice president and the lower house speaker “heads of the conspiracy” to remove her from office.

The country’s political leaders are united around a shared reform agenda that is working, writes Enrique Peña Nieto

A Jordanian MP opened fire on a colleague with an automatic rifle in a corridor at parliament over a personal dispute.

Uruguayan lawmakers have voted to legalise gay marriage, making the South American country the third in the Americas to do so.

Italy's crucial elections appear to be heading toward deadlock, according to initial results.

It is distressing to know that our small, bankrupt country should have so many parasitic occupations created specially by its legislature.

Haitian politicians confirmed President Michel Martelly’s choice for a new prime minister, ending a nearly two-month impasse that had hampered the country’s efforts to rebuild from the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Italian Premier Mario Monti’s new government has won a second confidence vote in Parliament, securing its mandate to help bring Italy out of its debt crisis.

Italy’s lower chamber of parliament has begun deliberations ahead of a confidence vote for the government formed by Premier Mario Monti aimed at saving the country from its debt crisis.

New Italian leader Mario Monti has formed a government without a single politician, picking bankers, diplomats and business executives in hope of ensuring escape from looming financial disaster.

New Italian leader Mario Monti has formed a government tasked with helping Italy escape financial disaster.

Italy’s president today began sounding out parliamentary and party leaders on who should lead the government and help save the country from financial disaster following the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi.

The Italian parliament’s lower chamber today backed an austerity reform package demanded by the EU, paving the way for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to quit.

The Italian Senate today passed a key package of economic austerity measures demanded by the EU.

Italy’s Senate is preparing to vote on economic reform measures demanded by the European Union, which should pave the way for Premier Silvio Berlusconi to quit in a matter of days.

The prospect of an Italian government led by leading economist Mario Monti helped calm market jitters today.

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed he will not run again for office and said his hand-picked successor Angelino Alfano will be his party’s candidate when Italy holds new elections.

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi lost his majority in parliament today intensifying the pressure for him to resign and help calm markets worried by the European debt crisis.

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has won a key parliamentary vote, but the result showed he can no longer count on a majority.

Italy’s borrowing rates have hit their highest level since the euro was established, ahead of a budget vote in parliament that could ratchet up the pressure on premier Silvio Berlusconi to resign.

THE deepening divisions in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition over how Italy can meet EU demands for more robust efforts to tame a $2 trillion debt are fuelling calls for early elections.

ITALY’S senate last night approved the government’s disputed austerity package, aimed at reducing the country’s deficit by more than €54 billion over three years.

Italy’s upper house of parliament tonight approved the government’s disputed austerity package aimed at reducing the country’s deficit by more than €54bn over three years.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, facing record bond yields and calls for his resignation, said Italy is “up to the task” of tackling the debt crisis as its economic fundamentals are solid.

For a group supposedly able to see the future, Romania’s witches did not see this one coming.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has laughed off an inquiry into his bawdy sex life and relationship with an underage girl as magistrates struggled to get permission to search his offices for evidence against him.

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi had sex with several prostitutes, prosecutors claimed today, trying to get permission to search some of his homes.

Italy’s opposition has introduced a no-confidence motion against Premier Silvio Berlusconi in a move that sets the stage for a showdown in parliament that could spell the end of the government.

Victor L Simpson in Rome says the ‘Ruby’ scandal may prove to be the final straw for the Italian public

SINGER Wyclef Jean is about to announce his candidacy for president of earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the former head of the country’s Chamber of Deputies has said.

Singer Wyclef Jean is to run for president of earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has split with a key political partner but insists his government is not at risk.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition has backed down on a controversial wiretaps bill as its deputies approved a watered-down version in a parliamentary committee vote.

ITALY was hit by a news blackout yesterday as journalists went on strike against a bill curbing the use of wiretapping proposed by the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

JAILED murderer Amanda Knox is counting on an appeal to quash her conviction for killing roommate Meredith Kercher, an Italian prison visitor said yesterday.

Jailed Amanda Knox is counting on an appeal to quash her conviction for killing roommate Meredith Kercher, an Italian prison visitor said today.

President Mary McAleese will meet business and political leaders and members of the Irish community during a state visit to Romania next week.

Italy is facing the prospect of an early election or the formation of an interim government after the resignation of prime minister Romano Prodi.

Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue will lead a parliamentary delegation to Prague today to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Czech Republic.

Jordanians headed to the polls today to elect their second parliament under King Abdullah II, amid apathy toward Islamist politicians and scepticism that the government will help create jobs or alleviate growing poverty.

Italian prime minister Romano Prodi’s government is facing a confidence vote in parliament’s lower house today.

Premier Romano Prodi’s nine-month-old government hangs on a confidence vote this evening in the Italian Senate, where the centre-left leader is pitching for outside support to shore up his shaky coalition.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi’s government will face a vote of confidence in the Senate on Wednesday, putting his razor-thin majority to the test a week after defeat in the upper house of parliament triggered his resignation.