UN atomic team in Iran for nuclear talks A team from the UN atomic watchdog led by chief inspector Herman Nackaerts arrived early Thursday for talks with nuclear officials on Iran's controversial nuclear programme.
Brazil to produce more sugar, less ethanol Brazil's sugarcane production will rise 6.5 percent this year but ethanol output will slump 5.22 percent as a greater focus is put on exporting sugar.
14 December 2012
Japan scrambles fighters for China plane Japan scrambled fighter jets on Thursday after one Chinese state-owned aeroplane entered airspace over islands at the centre of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing.
14 December 2012
EU seals deal on banks watchdog, ahead of end-of-year summit The European Union agreed early Thursday to create a bank supervisor to oversee lenders across the eurozone, following marathon talks which ended hours before the year's final EU summit.
Peru approves free trade agreement with EU Peru has approved a free trade agreement with the European Union and Colombia that will allow 75 percent of agricultural products and 100 percent of other goods to enter the eurozone duty-free.
US financier tied to Pinochet money laundering dies Texas financier and media magnate Joe Allbritton, who lost the scandal-racked Riggs bank to a hostile takeover after it was fined for helping Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet launder money, has died at the age of 87.
Rock stars shine at Hurricane Sandy benefit gig Rock music royalty, including the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and Paul McCartney, joined in a stellar line-up Wednesday to raise money for victims of superstorm Sandy.
13 December 2012
Journal cautions on cannabis-based MS drug There is no strong evidence for the efficacy of a cannabis-based drug used in Britain to treat muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
13 December 2012
Syria regime using missiles, barrel bombs: US The Syrian regime has begun using missiles and barrel bombs against rebels, a top US official said Wednesday, signaling a dangerous escalation of the deadly 21-month-old conflict.
German company suspected of bribery in KazakhstanGfT Bautechnik, an affiliated company of ThyssenKrupp, took part in construction of artificial islands in the Caspian Sea and supplied cutoff piling there.