West African regional leaders agree to deploy more than 3,000 soldiers to Mali to retake the north from Islamist extremists.

Lawmakers in Greece approve a 2013 budget requiring fresh spending cuts, amid mass public protests across the country.

Japan's economy contracts in the July to September quarter as a global slowdown hurts exports and domestic consumption remains subdued.

A 6.1-magnitude tremor is felt in Guatemala and other Central American countries, days after the deaths of at least 52 in a powerful earthquake.

The woman who was the target of harassing emails from the lover of former CIA director David Petraeus, which led to an FBI probe, is named.

Former BBC director general Mark Thompson is to start his new job as chief executive and president of the New York Times newspaper.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces a national inquiry into institutional responses to the sexual abuse of children.

A high court upholds a decision to clear influential Japanese politician Ichiro Ozawa of wrongdoing in a political funding case.