Talks on the brink as Obama rebukes China

World leaders ditch their advisers to hammer out deal as tensions emerge over Chinese intransigence

BEHIND THE STORY: Chinese ensure chaos

The more polite amongst the officials called meeting of leaders a melee. The more direct ones described it as chaos

Man gets wish of suicide by death sentence

Masahiro Kanagawa, 26, said that he carried out the random stabbing spree in order to bring about his own execution

Talks 'went backwards overnight'

As the summit entered its twelfth and final day, huge differences remained between the 192 participants

Deutsche spreads bonus tax pain worldwide

German bank is first to explain how it will deal with the controversial one-off 'supertax' on bankers' bonuses

Deep-sea volcano erupts 4,000ft under the Pacific

Scientists have recorded footage of a spectacular eruption as an underwater volcano sends an explosion of lava into the sea

British captain dead, dozens missing as ship sinks

Dozens of people were missing after a ship carrying livestock sank off Lebanon, with its British captain reported dead

Risqué Christmas billboard causes outrage

A billboard outside a church depicting Mary and Joseph in bed with each other after having sex has been called sacrilegious

Copenhagen Diary

The fantasy of a Scottish entertainer running a South American economy surfaced. Ben Webster reports from behind the scenes

Leaders set for 'insufficient' climate change deal

European Union is preparing to increase its commitment to cutting emissions as part of an endgame at the climate summit

Pope declines pomp for state visit to Britain

The Pope has turned down a palace banquet and has resisted pressure to visit Ireland to apologise over child sex abuse

Japanese barbers wage war on speedy haircuts

A chain of salons offering cheap cuts in ten minutes is under attack because it does not offer hair-washing to clients

Judges consider rape victim’s right to die

Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse, was left paralysed and brain dead by her rapist 36 years ago. Now a court is to decide her fate

Yemen launches fresh raids against al-Qaeda

Yemeni warplanes launched raids on al-Qaeda bases, killing up to 34 militants and preventing suicide bombers, officials said

Nepal’s child soldiers to be sent home

After three years, efforts are being made to return several thousand children from Maoist camps to their previous lives

Uganda debates 'death for gay sex' legislation

Legislation would allow for the death sentence for 'aggravated homosexuality' in the impoverished east African country

China won't allow scrutiny of statistics

The country relies on heavy industry so letting outsiders examine its emissions might lead to some uncomfortable questions