A government is a body that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws within a civil, corporate, religious, academic, or other organization or group. In its broadest sense, "to govern" means to administer or supervise, whether over a state, a set group of people, or a collection of assets.

The word government is derived from the Greek Κυβερνήτης (kyvernites), which means "steersman", "governor", "pilot" or "rudder".

Typically, "the government" refers to the executive function. In many countries (particularly those having parliamentary systems), the Government refers to the executive branch of government or a specifically named executive, i.e. the Blair Government (compare to the administration as in the Clinton administration in U.S. usage). The Welsh Assembly Government is the name of the executive branch of Wales, and Scottish Government is the unofficial term to describe the Scottish Executive. In countries using the Westminster system, the party in government will also usually control the legislature.

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BBC News | Europe | World Edition

EU chiefs confront markets crisis
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:20:06 -0000
European heads of state meet in Paris to try to establish a common approach to the global financial crisis.
Russia in fresh missile launches
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:17:23 -0000
Russia test-fires three intercontinental ballistic missiles, after claiming a distance record for one fired from a submarine.
Haider 'was double speed limit'
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:48:36 -0000
Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider was driving at twice the speed limit when he died in a car crash, officials say.

NYT > Europe

European Leaders Meet as More Measures Extended
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:32:04 -0000
Government leaders from the major European Union members gathered in Paris on Sunday to discuss their collective response to the financial crisis.
A U.N. Charm Offensive Topped Off by Dessert
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:25:01 -0000
Iceland, locked in a tight race against Austria and Turkey, campaigns for two rotating seats on the Security Council that are reserved for the mostly European bloc.
Strong Earthquake in Caucasus Kills 5
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:23:31 -0000
The earthquake killed at least five people and disrupted power supplies in the Chechnya region of Russia, local news reports said.

L.A. Times - Europe

Austrian right leader Joerg Haider killed in car crash
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:27:00 -0700
Austrian politician Joerg Haider, whose far-right rhetoric at times sounded sympathetic to the Nazis and contemptuous of Jews and led to months of international isolation for the Alpine republic, died today in a car accident. He was 58.
Italy: Art springs to life in gardens near Rome
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Renaissance artistry blooms at Villa Lante, Bomarzo, Ninfa and other elaborate landscapes just a drive away from the Vatican. Bagnaia, Italy
World championship match will be short, rich
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Position No. 6024: White to play and win. From the game Atila Figura-Roeland Pruijssers, Germany 2008.

UN News Centre - Europe

UN, Dutch university partner to reach development goals
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has joined forces with a Dutch university to promote education and research in developing countries to build momentum towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight ambitious anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders agree on weekly meetings - UN
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities met today to continue talks on the reunification of the Mediterranean island nation, and agreed to meet on a weekly basis to keep up the momentum of the negotiations, according to a senior United Nations envoy.
UN urges European Union to end violence against women in conflict zones
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) today urged European Union (EU) Member States to take practical steps in preventing sexual violence against women in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Europe - International Herald Tribune

A specter's shadow returns to haunt Moscow
By ELLEN BARRY Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:15 -0000
Fifteen years after Communists failed to reverse history, can a credit crunch succeed?
Global leaders meet to stop financial rout
By DAVID JOLLY Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:15 -0000
Financial and political leaders were holding crisis meetings Sunday in Paris and Washington, seeking agreement on measures to restore confidence to the teetering financial system before markets open Monday in Asia.
A bit of 'I told you so' outside World Bank talks
By Helene Cooper and Charlie Savage Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:47:23 -0000
Protesters gathered to express their sadness — and in some cases, glee — over the global economic catastrophe that some said had proved them right.
A power that may not stay so super
By DAVID LEONHARDT Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:15 -0000
While Britain lumbered under the weight of imperial overreach, as the historian Niall Ferguson has written, the United States will be shackled primarily by its financial overreach.
Iceland turns on charm for UN voters
By NEIL MACFARQUHAR Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:15 -0000
Iceland is locked in a tight race with Austria and Turkey for two rotating seats on the Security Council that are reserved for the mostly European bloc, and the luncheon spread last week was part of its charm offensive.
Russia test-fires ballistic missiles
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:15 -0000
The firing Sunday of a long-range ballistic missile came as President Dmitri Medvedev pledged to build up the country's armed capabilities.

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