Putin warns Russians of hard times
President Putin warns Russians of hard economic times ahead and urges national self-reliance, days after the rouble suffers its biggest fall since the 1990s. BBC News – Europe
Craig Taylor
Mexico boosts security in Acapulco
Mexican federal forces are deployed to dozens of towns in a violence-ridden area of Mexico following the disappearance of 43 students in September. BBC News – Latin America & Caribbean
US hostage ‘appears in Yemen video’
Al-Qaeda militants based in Yemen have published a video purporting to show a British-born US hostage and threatening to kill him. BBC News – Middle East
Cuts warnings ‘hyperbolic’ – Osborne
Chancellor George Osborne says claims about the impact of spending cuts are exaggerated, as he defends his Autumn Statement. BBC News – Business
Tory MP Mark Pritchard arrested
Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has been arrested following an alleged incident in central London. BBC News – UK
US probe into NY chokehold death
US officials order a probe after a grand jury decides not to charge a white New York police officer over the death of a black man he was restraining. BBC News – US & Canada