Passengers amazed as Australian snake clings to plane
It was not quite a "Snakes on a Plane" scenario, but passengers on a Qantas jet watched in amazement as a three-metre (nine feet) python clung to the outside of their aircraft during a flight.
11 January 2013
Marseille hopes for image makeover with culture year
Long plagued by a reputation for gang crime and lawlessness, France's port city of Marseille is hoping its year as the European Capital of Culture will finally give its image a makeover.
11 January 2013
US National Cathedral opens doors to same-sex weddings
The Washington National Cathedral, a focal point of Christian worship in the United States, said Wednesday that, effective immediately, it will officiate same-sex weddings.
Japan to survey Pacific seabed for rare earth
Japan will launch a survey of its Pacific seabed, an official said Thursday, hoping to find rare earth deposits large enough to supply its high-tech industries and reduce its dependence on China.
11 January 2013
Insulin breakthrough could see end to needles
Breakthrough Australian research mapping how insulin works at a molecular level could open the door to novel new diabetes treatments, ending daily needle jabs for millions.
10 January 2013
Breeding season underway for famed Galapagos tortoises
Breeding season is underway for the endangered tortoises of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, whose mating and nesting habits are carefully watched by wildlife specialists hoping to save them from extinction.
US Congress less popular than cockroaches: poll
The little loved US Congress, fresh off its fiscal cliff budget crisis, is now less popular than cockroaches and lice, a survey released Tuesday found.
2012 warmest on record for US, had historic extremes 2012 marked the warmest year on record for the United States and was also the second most extreme ever, the US government agency charged with monitoring weather events said.
09 January 2013
Pregnant Kate turns 31 Prince William's wife Catherine marks her 31st birthday on Wednesday, but her well-documented pregnancy is likely to make it a low-key celebration.
09 January 2013
Syria's other struggle: balancing sharia and justice In the heart of Syria's rebel territory, away from the blasts and bullets of the frontlines, another struggle is playing out: one for a new justice system that could shape the future face of the country should the regime fall.
09 January 2013
World remembers Italy cruise tragedy one year onA year on from the Costa Concordia tragedy in which 32 people lost their lives, the giant cruise ship still lies keeled over on an Italian island and its captain Francesco Schettino has become a global figure of mockery.
US judge orders LA Catholics to name abusers A US judge Monday ordered Catholic leaders in Los Angeles to identify senior church officials accused of sexually abusing children, in a move welcomed by campaigners for victims.
08 January 2013
Australia bushfires rage in 'catastrophic' conditions Bushfires raged across Australia's most populous state Tuesday, fanned by intense heat and high winds in "catastrophic" conditions which have forced hasty evacuations and are threatening homes.
08 January 2013
China 'biggest' nuclear plant construction resumes China has resumed construction on a "fourth generation" nuclear power plant, suspended after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which will be its biggest-ever nuclear facility.