Tourists who have lapped up the December-long pleasures of German Christmas markets could do worse than to try Austria's this year.

Jamie Morton travels aboard the world's slowest - and arguably most beautiful - express train.

Anyone who switched on Russian TV recently might have been forgiven for thinking the Kremlin was relaxing its hard line on gays: Images of rainbow flags and a happy same-sex couple looking adoringly at their child flashed across the screen.

Latvia's prime minister has unexpectedly resigned, saying he can no longer lead the country after a supermarket roof collapse killed 54 people and sparked public outrage.

The Italian Senate has expelled three-time ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi from Parliament over his tax fraud conviction, ending, for now, his two-decade legislative run but not his political career.