Spain's government unveiled Thursday a 2013 budget that tightens austerity even in the teeth of growing protests, easing the path to a widely expected sovereign bailout.
The Czech government said Wednesday it would ease a ban on liquor sales in force since September 14 following a wave of methanol poisoning that has claimed at least 25 lives.
Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to ask Prime Minister Karim Massimov to head his powerful presidential administration amid ongoing jostling to succeed the veteran strongman.
A sudden decline in anti-Japan protests in China reflects the government's need to tread carefully between harnessing nationalist zeal and letting popular fury spiral out of control.
Mitt Romney was rocked Monday by a secretly filmed video in which he said nearly half of Americans back President Barack Obama because they are government-dependent "victims" who dodge taxes.
Australia's human rights body Wednesday found the government breached the rights of a nine-year-old girl it detained for more than nine months, during which time she witnessed others self-harming.
The US is to hand formal control of a controversial prison to the Afghan government on Monday, despite apparent disagreements between the two sides on the fate of hundreds of inmates.
Iran hit out at Canada's decision to break off diplomatic ties, with foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast accusing the Canadian government of being "under the influence of the Zionist regime."