Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe calls for elections next year to replace the country's troubled power-sharing government.

Australia's high court clears the way for Samsung to begin selling its Galaxy tablet, rejecting a bid by Apple to extend a temporary ban.

Pope Benedict will visit Cuba in 2012, only the second visit by a pontiff to the Communist-run island, Vatican officials say.

A group supporting Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney unveils a new ad attacking Newt Gingrich, after key Romney backers also criticise the former speaker.

Japan's trade minister denies reports that troubled nuclear firm Tepco is about to be in effect nationalised - claims that caused the share price to plummet.

US President Barack Obama describes a decision to restrict access to the morning-after pill for girls aged under 17 as "common sense".

At least 20 people are feared dead in a fire that broke out in a hospital in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, a state minister has said.

Five Nobel prize winners, including Desmond Tutu, urge China to free fellow laureate Liu Xiaobo on the eve of this year's award ceremony.