HK tycoon doubles bounty to marry off gay daughter
A Hong Kong tycoon may double a "marriage bounty" to find a male suitor for his gay daughter to US$130 million, despite his initial offer attracting 20,000 candidates.
Top chefs bring ready meals to NYC elderly
Shivering in Arctic temperatures and reeling from a brutal winter snowstorm, elderly New Yorkers got the surprise of their lives when five top chefs suddenly appeared with meals on wheels.
Vienna's old cinemas tap retro charm to survive
Buy your ticket to an art house movie, order a glass of wine and kick back on century-old seats: Vienna's half a dozen old picture houses still draw crowds with their retro charm.
Beijing's 'rat tribe' scurry from high costs underground
Near Beijing's $600 million Olympic stadium, migrant worker Ye Yiwen, her husband and two children cram into a tiny underground room, sheltering from the Chinese capital's biting winter and soaring property prices.
Spain blind association puts disabled to work
After completing high school, 46-year-old Spaniard Ricardo Velesar struggled to hold down a job as a degenerative eye disease slowly robbed him of his sight.
22 January 2014 10:38
Australia to go ahead with shark 'kill' zones
A controversial policy to catch and kill sharks off popular west coast beaches got the green light in Australia, in a move the Humane Society Tuesday termed a "complete disgrace".
Schiaparelli makes whimsical couture comeback in Paris
Sixty years after Elsa Schiaparelli's last runway show, the house on Monday made a highly-awaited comeback with an elegant collection studded with whimsy, in a nod to the Italian fashion legend.
21 January 2014 17:12
Vietnam reports first bird flu death in nine months
Vietnam has recorded its first death from bird flu in nine months, according to the country's Health Ministry, amid growing regional concerns over a potential resurgence of the deadly virus.
21 January 2014 15:30
Czech billionaire sets aside business for power politics
The Czech Republic's second richest man whose fledgling party came in second in parliamentary elections, Andrej Babis, said Monday he is setting aside his business portfolio to take up a political one, as finance minister.
Lifestyle disorders top health issues in Arab world
Heart disease and stroke have replaced infectious disease as the top causes of early death in the Arab world, tracking the West in a trend towards lifestyle disorders.
21 January 2014 10:42
Ethiopia's Timkat draws crowds to ancient royal baths
The sun has not yet come up, but hundreds of people -- cloaked in white shrouds and chanting biblical hymns -- are already gathered at the holy baths in northern Ethiopia to celebrate Timkat.