London bus workers went ahead with a strike today in a dispute over an Olympic bonus, causing travel disruption, with warnings of further walkouts.

A House of 450 members could be elected in thirds for 15 years after each general election

An unelected second chamber is an anachronism indefensible in a modern democracy

Greece got its first elected prime minister for eight months yesterday as the conservative leader Antonis Samaras was sworn in at the head of a coalition government.

As you read this I am with statesmen and dignitaries from more than 100 countries at the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. There are leaders from countries with a wide range of different democratic systems and almost overwhelmingly they are united by one belief: that the people who make the laws should be elected.

With such monumental figures as Aung Sun Suu Kyi and the Dalai Lama in town – along with Nelson Mandela, the boilerplate inspirations of a thousand insipid celebrity Q&As over the years – it'd be easy to leaf through recent British history and wonder, with regret, where our own legends are. The heroes we do have are, with the possible exception of Winston Churchill, hated by as many people as love them. Not even Margaret Thatcher's greatest admirers could call her a unifying force.

Samaras must prove himself at home and in Europe

PM takes swipes at both Fernandez and French tax laws as G20 gets off to a fractious first round of talks

Europe looked on with wary relief as Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras launched coalition talks after winning elections following weeks of uncertainty over whether the country could remain in the eurozone.

Prime Minister David Cameron today urged successful parties in yesterday's Greek elections to move swiftly to form a government, warning that delay could be "very dangerous".

As fear of the financial abyss takes hold, Patrick Cockburn reports from Athens

Five years ago, when Uefa selected Ukraine to co-host the Euro 2012 championship, the outlook was rosy. Buoyed by the optimism of the 2004 Orange Revolution, the former Soviet state had swift economic development and an end to autocratic rule well within its sights. Now however, as the tournament commences, the picture is an altogether darker one.

Mayor says he has "as much chance of being reincarnated as an olive" as he has of being Prime Minister

He may have walked free, but senator who hid affair from his dying wife faces a tougher battle in the court of public opinion