Japan PM Abe visits Yasukuni war shrine
Japan's nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid tribute at Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni war shrine on Thursday, in a move Beijing condemned as "absolutely unacceptable".
26 December 2013 15:55
Vaccine fears in China after hepatitis B scare
Chinese state-run media and Internet users demanded action Wednesday after the deaths of at least seven babies since November following their vaccinations against hepatitis B.
Arctic protester vows to fight on after Russian case closed
A British Greenpeace protester Tuesday said he was "jubilant" after Russia closed the criminal case against him for staging a protest on an oil rig, and vowed to keep fighting for environmental issues.
25 December 2013 18:07
NYC first daughter confesses to drug, alcohol abuse
The teenage daughter of New York's incoming mayor confessed on Christmas Eve to smoking pot and underage drinking in a video aimed at helping others battling depression.
25 December 2013 16:31
Pope marks first Christmas as crowds flock to Bethlehem
Pope Francis held his first Christmas Eve mass in the Vatican on Tuesday by highlighting the role played by humble shepherds in the Nativity, as thousands flocked to the historic site of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem.
25 December 2013 14:07
Chinese woman gave birth to twins at 60: report
A Chinese woman had twin girls at the age of 60 following IVF treatment after her only child died, making her possibly the oldest person in the country to give birth, state media reported Tuesday.
25 December 2013 13:07
Sri Lanka bars Australian luxury hotelier in flag spat
Sri Lankan authorities barred the Australian owner of one of the world's most exclusive hotels from returning to his adopted homeland Tuesday for flying the national flag upside down, officials said.
Mysterious pentagram appears in Aktau
A new Google maps mystery has appeared to rack our brains. A five-pointed star or a mysterious pentagram is 200 meters in diameter and is situated somewhere near Aktau and Akshukur village.
Mining threatens unique culture of Sweden's Samis
As winter approaches, the Samis of northern Sweden move thousands of reindeer down from the snow-covered mountains for lowland grazing. They have done so for centuries, but they wonder how much longer they can continue.
Flu vaccine more effective for women than men: study
The flu vaccine is generally less effective for men than for women, scientists said in a study Monday, tracing the effect to higher levels of testosterone that curb the immune response.
24 December 2013 16:06
Santa cleared for entry to US: official
Santa Claus was officially cleared for entry into the United States on Monday as federal agriculture officials waived stringent livestock checks on his nine reindeer.
24 December 2013 15:23
Britain pardons gay 'father of computing' Alan Turing
Britain on Tuesday granted a posthumous pardon to Alan Turing, the World War II code-breaking hero who committed suicide after he was convicted of the then crime of homosexuality.
24 December 2013 12:50
Anti-whalers dismiss 'sham' Australian surveillance
Militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd on Monday dismissed as a "sham" Australian government plans to track Japan's annual whale hunt by air instead of by sea, saying it was a toothless and "cowardly" response.
24 December 2013 10:24
Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 80
Thousands of people thronged Japan's Imperial Palace Monday to celebrate Emperor Akihito's 80th birthday, as he lauded his wife for standing by him in his "lonely" pursuit of leading the world's oldest monarchy.
23 December 2013 14:17
Revealed: Vast water store beneath Greenland's ice
A vast store of water equivalent in area to Ireland lies beneath Greenland's icesheet, and it may provide answers to one of the big riddles of climate change, scientists reported on Sunday.
NYC first daughter confesses to drug, alcohol abuse
The teenage daughter of New York's incoming mayor confessed on Christmas Eve to smoking pot and underage drinking in a video aimed at helping others battling depression.
