Motlanthe to challenge Zuma for ANC job

Motlanthe to challenge Zuma for ANC job
South Africa loses its Mandela sparkle
US and UN condemn N Korea rocket launch
Syrian coalition backs extremist group
Egypt opposition changes stance on vote
Fed links rates to US unemployment
Germans give ground on banking union
Putin proposes curbs on officials’ assets
Japan dam debacle shows DPJ’s failings
MEPs approve compromise EU budget

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 10:01 AM PST

South Africa's deputy president is to compete for leadership of the African National Congress at the party's conference, which begins on Sunday

South Africa loses its Mandela sparkle

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 09:25 AM PST

The ruling African National Congress is gathering for a leadership conference as Nelson Mandela lies in hospital, his legacy of racial tolerance under threat

US and UN condemn N Korea rocket launch

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 11:17 AM PST

The Security Council said the launch violated UN resolutions adopted after North Korea's nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009

Syrian coalition backs extremist group

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 01:03 AM PST

Opposition coalition urges US to rethink blacklisting of al-Nusra, saying that religion as a motivation to fight Assad is nothing to be ashamed of

Egypt opposition changes stance on vote

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 05:43 AM PST

Groups opposed to Egypt's draft constitution have called for people to reject it rather than boycott this Saturday's referendum

Fed links rates to US unemployment

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 11:50 AM PST

The US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates exceptionally low until unemployment falls below 6.5 per cent in a historic monetary policy innovation

Germans give ground on banking union

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 10:12 AM PST

Wolfgang Schäuble, the German finance minister, said he was willing to compromise on some of his longstanding objections to the scheme

Putin proposes curbs on officials’ assets

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 10:42 AM PST

In his end-of-year address to the federal assembly, the Russian president says officials will be banned from owning foreign bank accounts

Japan dam debacle shows DPJ’s failings

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 02:57 AM PST

Indecision over controversial dam project shows why Japan's ruling Democratic party is on course for defeat in the elections on December 16

MEPs approve compromise EU budget

Posted: 12 Dec 2012 09:19 AM PST

Ceiling for next year's budget payments will increase 2.9% to €132.8bn – compared with 6.8% rise that MEPs and European Commission originally sought