Late French President Francois Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl stand hand in hand ©AP 5:43pm

Europe: An uneven entente

France must contend with Germany’s growing predominance and its differing vision for European integration

A member of the media takes pictures of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as he speaks at an event at Facebook's headquarters office in Menlo Park, California, on January 15, 2012. Today, Facebook announced the limited beta release of Graph Search, a feature that will create a new way for people to navigate connections and search social networks ©AFP Jan 18, 2013

Technology: Desperately seeking data

Facebook and Google are racing to find new and useful information – then control the way we look for it

Control of mobile robots with Magnus Egerstedt, Coursera online course ©Coursera Jan 17, 2013

Education: From blackboard to keyboard

Higher education online courses are growing in popularity but their business model is uncertain

British Prime Minister David Cameron ©Eyevine Jan 16, 2013

Europe: In search of a new deal for Britain

In his speech, David Cameron must appeal to Conservative hardliners and European leaders

Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy ©Gianfranco Tripodo Jan 15, 2013

FT interview: Mariano Rajoy

Spanish PM insists his reform programme will begin to bear fruit this year

©Photoshot Jan 14, 2013

Rating agencies: Outlook unchanged

Criticised for their role in the crisis, the big three actors were expected to reform – but their efforts have come unstuck

ship in the distance ©Alamy Jan 13, 2013

Taxation: Unsafe offshore

Governments want to close tax loopholes but risk scaring off big foreign investors

Paul Jacobs Person in the news Jan 11, 2013

Paul Jacobs: smartphone king

The Qualcomm chief has played a key role in the rise of the device, writes Chris Nuttall

People reading newspaper in a crowded metro car in Shanghai ©Corbis Jan 11, 2013

China: Speech breaks out

Responding to calls for greater freedom of speech could remove vital pillar of Communist party’s power

An unidentified man stands near a gas flare belonging to the Agip Oil company in Idu Ogba, Niger Delta area of Nigeria ©AP Jan 10, 2013

Energy: Trial by oil

A clutch of African nations are determined not to repeat Nigeria’s mistakes in dealing with hydrocarbon wealth

Jan 9, 2013

The price of deterrence

Britain faces intense debate over its nuclear weapons

Jan 8, 2013

Companies: The rise of the zombie

Groups propped up by state-backed credit can spend all their cash servicing debt rather than investing

Jan 7, 2013

Brazil: Consumer rhythm

Cracks are appearing in the economy but business leaders’ faith in the spending frenzy remains unshaken

Jan 6, 2013

Ireland: Away from the pulpit

The Irish are wrestling with a social change fuelled by rapid immigration and a growing questioning of the Catholic church

Jan 4, 2013

India: A flicker of hope

Protests against last month’s fatal sex attack have forced Delhi to respond to male violence

Jan 3, 2013

Cerebral circuitry

Researchers are focusing on whether gadgets are changing how our brains work as regards empathy and human interaction

Jan 2, 2013

Europe: Burnt and abandoned

Fears of a fresh chapter in the continent’s crisis heighten

Roula Khalaf Jan 1, 2013

The Salafi surge

The Arab uprisings have allowed a long-suppressed ultraconservative Sunni sect to gain influence

Dec 30, 2012

2012 by numbers

The FT’s round-up of the year’s standout statistics

Dec 28, 2012

The year in tweets

Emily Cadman, the FT’s head of interactive, charts 2012 through the tweets sent by Barack Obama, Rupert Murdoch, Lance Armstrong and others