France Last French hostage freed by al Qaeda begins his long journey home The last French hostage to be held anywhere in the world has begun his journey home. Serge Lazarevic thanked the president of Niger for being an intermediary in arranging his freedom from al Qaeda. 09/12/2014
Sport Liverpool off to Europa league after Champions League exit Liverpool’s first run in the Champions League after a four-year absence ended at the group stage. The Reds drew 1-1 with Basel in their final Group 09/12/2014
Ukraine 'Day of Silence' in eastern Ukraine reportedly shattered by shelling A storm of shelling reportedly shatters the calm in eastern Ukraine as a 'Day of Silence' is brought to an abrupt end. 09/12/2014
Italy Great Prison Bake-off in Italy aims to change lives From inmate to pastry chef, a cooperative in Padua has opened Italy’s only bakery behind bars. Those serving time are serving up 70,000 Pannetonni 09/12/2014
Sport Former Real star Raul unveiled at Cosmos The New York Cosmos signalled their intent on a return to topflight Major League Soccer after unveiling former Real Madrid star Raul as their newest 09/12/2014
Zimbabwe Signs of a power struggle in Zimbabwe: President Robert Mugabe sacks key government figures Power struggle in Zimbabwe? Robert Mugabe fires deputy Joice Mujuru and some of her allies amid accusations of corruption and allegations of a plot to kill the president. 09/12/2014
USA CIA torture report: Techniques ineffective and brutal Ineffective and brutal, those were the findings of the Senate Intelligence Committee into the CIA’s detention and interrogation programme following 09/12/2014
Sport Champions League: Last chance saloon for City Wednesday night’s champions league action sees a three-way battle to finish runners up in Group E. Roma host Manchester City in the final group match 09/12/2014
world news All Agenda 2020 reforms unanimously passed by the IOC [UPDATE-1] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) overwhelmingly voted on Monday to reform their movement by approving its president’s 40-point 09/12/2014
Portugal Portugal: Police question 11 people over missing Madeleine McCann More than seven years after British girl Madeleine McCann vanished at a holiday resort in Portugal, police there are questioning eleven people seen 09/12/2014
USA CIA's actions a 'stain on US history', says Senate Intelligence Committee head The Senate Intelligence Committee report details CIA failings in counter-terror programme and enhanced interrogation techniques following 9/11 attacks. 09/12/2014
world news Ban gives stark climate change warning to UN talks in Lima Urging a radical shift to greener economies, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told governments at UN talks in Peru’s capital Lima on 09/12/2014
Mexico Mexico hosts 24th Ibero-American Summit Innovation, culture and education are the focus as leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal meet in Mexico at the Ibero-American Summit. Among 09/12/2014
USA P.A.T.R.I.O.T A.C.T... what it really stands for Any notion of super-power invulnerability in Americans’ minds fell away on September 11th, 2001. Those in the business of protecting the nation 09/12/2014
Sport Pele discharged from hospital Brazil’s footballing legend Pele was discharged from a hospital in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. The 74-year-old three-time World Cup winner was admitted a 09/12/2014
Greece Greek government announces snap presidential vote In a gamble to end nationwide political uncertainty, the ruling coalition party in Greece has announced a snap presidential election will be held on 09/12/2014
USA Details of CIA torture report released The US Senate Intelligence Committee revealed the findings of its report into post 9/11 terror suspect interrogation techniques in Washington. 09/12/2014
Spain Spain: Prosecutors want Princess Cristina cleared of wrongdoing in corruption probe Spanish prosecutors say the king’s sister Princess Cristina should be cleared of criminal wrongdoing in a corruption probe. But they want her husband 09/12/2014
Sport Neymar partners up with rally ace Ogier Brazilian soccer star Neymar swapped his Barcelona kit for Rally overalls for a day as he teamed up with world champion Sebastien Ogier to become the 09/12/2014
Europe News EU energy officials mull next move over South Stream A number of EU energy minister have held talks in Brussels after Russia’s move to cancel the South Stream gas pipeline. Officials from eight 09/12/2014
Sport Kosovo to compete at 2016 Olympics in Rio Kosovo on Tuesday gained full membership of the International Olympic Committee and therefore will be eligible to compete at the 2016 Rio Games 09/12/2014
Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel re-elected leader of CDU party German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected President of the Christian Democrat CDU Party for an eighth two-year term. 09/12/2014
Ukraine Ukraine: 'Day of Silence' ceasefire appears to be holding After eight months of a conflict that has claimed more than 4,300 lives, a 'Day of Silence' ceasefire appears to be holding in eastern Ukraine. 09/12/2014
Cinema Reese Witherspoon tipped for Oscar in Jean-Marc Vallée's 'Wild' Reese Witherspoon is generating Oscar buzz in her latest role as a woman who goes on a solo thousand-mile hiking journey after her life starts 09/12/2014
Culture news Lyon's Festival of Lights gives renewed hope to Erbil's Christian refugees Originally a celebration of the Catholic faith, the Festival of Lights born in the French city of Lyon has today grown into a world-renowned cultural 09/12/2014
Netherlands Flight MH17 wreckage parts arrive in Netherlands from Ukraine Trucks carrying debris from the Malaysian airliner have arrived in the southern Dutch town of Gilze-Rijen for examination by experts. 09/12/2014
world news Where in Europe is corruption most strongly perceived? Italy, Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are among the European Union’s worst when it comes to perceptions of corruption, a new index has 09/12/2014
Europe News EU eyes some 2,000 new investment projects The European Commission has finalised a wish list of nearly two thousands projects to be financed by a new investment plan. The six hundred page 09/12/2014
Greece Greece to hold presidential vote two months early The Greek government decided to bring forward the parliamentary vote to select the next president after eurozone finance ministers approved an extension to the bailout programme. 09/12/2014
Mali French hostage Serge Lazarevic freed three years after capture by al Qaeda in Mali A French hostage has been freed by North African Islamist militants who had abducted him in Mali three years ago. Serge Lazarevic was taken by 09/12/2014
