Fifa has confirmed England will be one of eight seeded teams when the World Cup draw takes place this week. They will thus avoid favourites Spain and Brazil, who are two of the other seeded sides, in the group stage. Argentina, Germany, the...

Fritz Henderson is to step down as chief executive of US car giant General Motors, the firm said late on Tuesday. It is thought someone from outside GM will be brought in to replace Mr Henderson, who was appointed as chief executive by the government...

The Taliban say they will step up their fight in Afghanistan, after pledges by the US and its allies to send large reinforcements to the country. A Taliban spokesman said such moves would “provoke stronger resistance”. US President Barack Obama,...

A court in Pakistan has charged seven people in connection with last year’s attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai. They include the alleged mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. Mr Lakhvi and the other suspects were charged under Pakistan’s...

China has executed two people for their role in a scandal involving tainted milk powder that resulted in six children dying, officials have said. More than 300,000 other infants were made ill from milk powder contaminated with melamine, an industrial...