Syria Al-Qaeda blamed for Damascus attacks Syrian officials are blaming al-Qaeda militants for two deadly explosions in the capital Damascus. Two car bombs were reportedly detonated close to 23/12/2011
Portugal Christmas chaos for train passengers in Portugal There was a quiet scene at Porto’s train station as a three-day strike began in Portugal on Friday, causing disruption to 80 per cent of national 23/12/2011
Colombia Fatal fuel pipeline explosion in Colombia At least 11 people are dead after the explosion of a fuel pipeline destroyed houses in Colombia. Another 80 were hurt in the incident, which 23/12/2011
Ukraine Tymoshenko loses appeal against prison sentence Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko has lost her appeal against abuse of office charges. The ruling, in Kiev 23/12/2011
Europe Cops vs crime in Europe In this edition of U talk, Gaetano Notari asks: “What duties and operations does the European police agency Europol carry out in fighting 23/12/2011
Turkey Armenian editor in Turkey criticises France genocide law The fallout from France’s controversial genocide bill continues, with more protests taking place across Turkey, including one organised by a 23/12/2011
World Christmas and crisis Christmas time is shopping time for everyone lucky enough to have the budget for presents and festive food, but it is harder for people feeling the 23/12/2011
Business Europe on the move in the search for work Europe is on the move as the search intensifies for work. With unemployment figures soaring tens of thousands are abandoning their homelands. While 23/12/2011
Sport Toure named African footballer of the year Ivory Coast and Manchester City star, Yaya Toure, has been named the 2011 African player of the year, following the vote by the head coaches of the 23/12/2011
Egypt Demos call for Egypt's military to stand down Egypt has seen major street demonstrations to express fury at the deaths of 17 people in protests over the past week. The biggest was in Cairo’s 23/12/2011
Hungary Hungarian MPs detained during protest over new laws Opposition MPs have chained themselves together outside the Hungarian parliament building, as part of a protest over new election and finance 23/12/2011
Cuba Marxist Cuba going, going... The right to leave and then come back to their own country freely has been denied to Cubans for as long as the Caribbean island has been under 23/12/2011
Czech Republic Czechs and the world say farewell to Vaclav Havel World leaders have been in Prague for the funeral of Vaclav Havel, the man who led Czechoslovakia from Stalinism to democracy. The Clintons from 23/12/2011
Business Is a euro break-up looming? Is a break-up of the euro looming? That was the question of the year – and it remains unanswered. The new president of the ECB sent conflicting 23/12/2011
Business US backs markets merger The US government has backed the multi billion euro merger between Deutsche Boerse and the New York Stock Exchange parent NYSE Euronext. It will 23/12/2011
Business Russia cuts refinancing rate Russia has cut its benchmark refinancing rate unexpectedly from 8.25 percent to eight percent. The new rate comes into effect on December 26 said a 23/12/2011
Business Free festive shopping in Italy A dream of free shopping at Christmas is a reality in Italy as the country’s senate approved the final stages of Prime Minister, Mario Monti’s 23/12/2011
Business French growth revised down The French economy – the eurozone’s second largest grew at a weaker pace than previously estimated in the third quarter as companies cut 23/12/2011
Ukraine Tymoshenko loses appeal against jail sentence Former Ukrainian prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko has lost her appeal against abuse-of-office charges. In a case that has 23/12/2011
Turkey Sarkozy hits back over Turkish claims of French genocide A war of words is heating up between Paris and Ankara. The Turkish prime minister has accused France of genocide in Algeria. This a day after 23/12/2011
Syria Dozens reported dead after explosions rock Syrian capital At least 40 people are reported dead and more 100 injured, after two explosions ripped through the Syrian capital Damascus. It is claimed two car 23/12/2011
Turkey Turkish PM accuses Paris of genocide in Algeria A war of words is heating up in a row between Paris and Ankara. The Turkish prime minister has accused France of having carried out genocide in 23/12/2011
Turkey Turkish newspapers furious with France The decision by the French Parliament to pass a law punishing those who deny that the bloody events of 1915 in the last days of the Ottoman era were 23/12/2011
Syria Deadly explosions at Syrian security sites At least 30 people are reported dead and more than 50 more wounded after explosions hit security sites in Syria’s capital Damascus. Two suspected 23/12/2011
Cuba Cubans await news on easier travel rules There is high hope among Cubans that President Raul Castro will lift strict travel restrictions that have been in force for half a century. He has 23/12/2011
France France urges removal of suspect breast implants The French government is urging the removal of suspect breast implants causing concern in numerous countries. At least 30,000 French women are 23/12/2011
New Zealand Quake-plagued NZ city hit by more tremors The earthquake-devastated New Zealand city of Christchurch has been hit by a further series of strong quakes. One of the tremors was a magnitude 23/12/2011
no comment Turkish protest over French 'genocide' bill A crowd gathered outside the French Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, to protest the controversial vote in Paris on whether to penalise those who deny a 23/12/2011
no comment Berlin's fishy Christmas tree Staff at the Sealife Aquarium in Berlin brought a special gift for their residents: a Christmas tree with pieces of octopus as decorations. 23/12/2011
