Italy election campaign kicks off as Monti quits
Italy's election campaign kicked off in earnest on Saturday after Prime Minister Mario Monti's resignation opened the way for a contest dominated by a raging debate over austerity in the recession-hit country.
British PM under fire over 'pleb' spat
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron was under fire Saturday from friends of a minister who quit over claims he called police officers 'plebs', saying the PM left Andrew Mitchell 'swinging in the wind'.
23 December 2012
Egyptians vote on controversial draft charter
Egyptians voted on Saturday in the final round of a referendum on a new constitution championed by President Mohamed Morsi and his Islamist allies against fierce protests from the secular-leaning opposition.
23 December 2012
Japan's incoming PM pledges to mend ties with China
Japan's incoming premier Saturday pledged to seek a thaw in ties with China after a report said he will send a special envoy on a fence-mending mission to Beijing.
22 December 2012
Obama picks John Kerry as secretary of state
US President Barack Obama Friday nominated Senator John Kerry as his new secretary of state, as he began to reshape his national security team for a second term clouded by overseas crises.
22 December 2012
Chavez said to be 'well' and 'conscious'
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is making steady progress after cancer surgery in Cuba and the respiratory infection he developed earlier in the week has been contained.
Eurasian Economic Union draft to be ready by mid-2014Nazarbayev emphasized that the presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus are intent on transforming the Customs Union and the ensuing Single Economic Space into a solid alliance that would attract other nations.
Russia negotiates union with ex-Soviet statesRussia sought Wednesday to expand its influence over former territories during integration talks that Washington has cast as a bid to "re-Sovietise" the region.
Hopes for stronger ties as Hollande visits Algeria President Francois Hollande arrives in Algeria on Wednesday seeking to end simmering resentment over French colonial rule and bolster ties with the OPEC country.
19 December 2012
South Koreans vote in presidential election South Koreans cast their votes Wednesday in a tight and potentially historic presidential election that could result in Asia's fourth-largest economy selecting its first female leader.