Why bother to vote if you think it doesn't change anything, and politicians are all a bunch of liars? That seems to be the conclusion, depressing for politicians at least, of a survey of European countries ahead of the elections to the European Parliament.

German President Horst Koehler has been re-elected for a second five-year term. Correspondents say Mr Koehler's re-election is a symbolic victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of national elections in September.

Gordon Brown has launched Labour's Euro election campaign amid predictions the party's prospects have been badly hit by the furore over MPs' expenses.

All MPs' receipts for expenses claimed over four years must be independently scrutinised, Gordon Brown has said.

Alleged Nazi war criminal John Demjanjuk has arrived in Germany after being deported from the US, police say.

Anti-government protesters and police have clashed in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, amid rising national tensions.

Nato is to start a series of military exercises in Georgia, a day after the government thwarted an attempt by its own soldiers to stage a mutiny.

British combat operations in Iraq will come to an end later on Thursday with a handover to American forces.

Iceland's interim centre-left government has won a resounding victory in early parliamentary elections, preliminary results show.