Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced a larger cabinet that featured a greater proportion of women.

Tzipi Livni’s critics said her failure to form a government proved a lack of political savvy and experience.

Tzipi Livni urged President Shimon Peres to call the election without delay and assured him that she would win at the polls — an outcome that is by no means certain.

Parliament rejected by a large majority on Friday two proposals to allow same-sex marriages.

The brother, Abdul Qayum Karzai, who has one of the worst attendance records in Afghanistan’s Parliament, cited kidney problems as the cause.

The government adopted a new constitution intended to improve its democratic credentials and assure foreign investors of its reliability as an economic partner.

A sense of alarm that rocked the country’s financial markets quickly subsided, but underscored the jittery political climate.

A sense of alarm that rocked the country’s financial markets quickly subsided, but underscored the jittery political climate.

A sense of alarm that rocked the country’s financial markets quickly subsided, but underscored the jittery political climate.

Among the 10 officials who resigned was Trevor Manuel, the powerful finance minister.