Canada Toronto mayor admits smoking crack cocaine but refuses to resign. The Canadian mayor at the centre of a drug and alcohol scandal has apologised for smoking crack cocaine and promised never to make the same mistakes 05/11/2013
Iran Iran: deal with world powers on nuclear talks 'possible' this week Iran has said it is ready to call for the withdrawal of foreign fighters in Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was asked if Iran 05/11/2013
Vatican Vatican seeks Catholics' views on same-sex marriage and other issues The Vatican has warned Catholics not to expect rapid change in the Church’s stance on major social issues, whatever the results of a global survey it 05/11/2013
Syria Forty percent of Syrians in need of humanitarian aid according to UN The UN has estimated that 40 percent of all Syrians now need humanitarian aid. The number has gone up dramatically from 6.8 million people 05/11/2013
brussels bureau EU's Rehn warns Germany over trade surplus The EU is warning that Germany’s trade surplus – when a country pockets more for exports than it spends on imports – could hinder Europe’s 05/11/2013
Business Can latest 'Call of Duty' overtake GTA's blockbuster opening? It is a shoot ‘em up computer game, but the battle is not on the screen but in the shops, between ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’ – which was just launched – 05/11/2013
Business Ukraine hopes shale gas deal will cut its energy costs Ukraine has signed a shale gas production-sharing agreement with US firm Chevron. It is another step in Kiev’s drive for more energy independence 05/11/2013
USA Voters head to polls for New York mayoral race New Yorkers are voting today to choose a new mayor. The Democratic candidate Bill de Blasio is the overwhelming favourite in the polls. The 05/11/2013
brussels bureau EU-Turkey talks kick off again After being blocked for three years over the disputed island of Cyprus, the EU opened a fresh chapter of accession negotiations with Turkey on 05/11/2013
Spain Spain delays further cuts to Erasmus student funds Spain is delaying making further cuts to Erasmus, a European scheme that allows thousands of students to study abroad. Two years ago, the Spanish 05/11/2013
Switzerland Geneva II Syria peace talks delayed again as all sides fail to agree conditions Hopes of a much-delayed international peace conference on Syria taking place later this month appear to be dashed. The US and Russia had been 05/11/2013
Sport Climbing the frost giants Famous in ice climbing circles for its large number of icefalls the stunning Eidfjord in Norway lies three hours east of the city of 05/11/2013
Pakistan Pakistan army carries out successful missile test Pakistan’s military says it has carried out a successful test fire of a new short-range surface-to-surface missile. The NASR missile is said to be 05/11/2013
Russia Sochi Olympic torch ready for space launch A rocket due to carry the Olympic torch into space ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics has been hauled into position in Kazakhstan. The torch will 05/11/2013
Indonesia Hundreds moved from homes as Indonesia volcano erupts again A volcano has erupted for the third time in as many months on the western Indonesian island of Sumatra. Some 1,300 people have been moved out of 05/11/2013
Sport The dark side of Sochi Sochi is a city readying itself for the winter spectacle of the Olympic Games. Construction works continue with just under three months to go until 05/11/2013
USA Profile of Bill de Blasio - New York's first Democrat mayor in two decades Bill de Blasio, aged 52, stands out for more than his physical size; the almost-two-metre-tall Italian-American, well-anchored towards the left of 05/11/2013
Business Troika back in Greece, heckled and jeered after latest austerity meeting There was a rough reception in Athens for officials of the International Monetary Fund, European Commission and European Central Bank – the 05/11/2013
USA Pentagon chief Hagel tells world: US will continue to lead The United States must deploy all its instruments of power, not just military might, as it seeks to lead the world in the future while drained 05/11/2013
Greece Greece video 'shows moment' Golden Dawn members shot dead Greek police have released a video they say is from the scene of last week’s fatal shooting of two men outside the far-right Golden Dawn party’s 05/11/2013
Spain Catalonia set to be first Spain region to ban circus animals Catalonia looks set to become the first Spanish region to ban circus acts which use live animals. Many towns there already outlaw the practice, as 05/11/2013
Cinema Mandela biopic opens in South Africa The long-awaited biopic “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” has opened in South Africa. British actor Idris Elba, who stars as Mandela, almost did not 05/11/2013
Poland Kerry takes a brief European detour in hectic Middle East schedule US Secretary of State John Kerry took a brief European detour from his 11-day visit to the Middle East and North Africa to meet with Polish allies in 05/11/2013
Business Spain's jobless numbers up in October In Spain, the number of people registered as unemployed rose in October. Job centres saw an increase in jobseekers as those hired for the tourist 05/11/2013
explore Culinary delights on the menu in the Philippines The Philippines not only offers white beaches and a turquoise sea – the home-grown cuisine seduces visitors as well. Adobo, Lechon and Pancit are 05/11/2013
Germany British ambassador in Berlin summoned to explain fresh spying claims There are claims that the UK as well as the US has been spying on Germany from a sophisticated electronic listening post within the British embassy 05/11/2013
Germany Previously unknown masters' works found among art looted by Nazis A number of previously unknown works of art by masters are among the trove of Nazi-looted art discovered in a Munich flat. Bavarian customs 05/11/2013
World Hotel boasts ecological credentials, claims to be South Africa's greenest Hotel Verde near Cape Town airport claims to be the greenest in Africa. Among the environmentally-friendly systems used to build and run the hotel 05/11/2013
Bangladesh Bangladesh court sentences 152 to death for 2009 mutiny In Bangladesh, 152 soldiers have been sentenced to death by a special court for their role in a mutiny four years ago. The convicted are among some 05/11/2013