Shock and sadness as Irish minister found dead
The Irish political world was in shock Saturday after a member of Prime Minister Enda Kenny's government was found dead in circumstances that police said were not suspicious.
23 December 2012 16:22
Judge clears BP's $7.8 bn settlement in US oil spill
British oil giant BP won US court approval Friday of a $7.8 billion settlement with people and businesses who lost money and property due to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
23 December 2012 12:24
Queen's chaplain says Church of England has racism problem
Queen Elizabeth II's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, tipped to become one of Britain's first women bishops, said Saturday that the Church of England is struggling with "institutional racism".
22 December 2012 19:02
Santa receives unwanted sack after outburst
A British Father Christmas has been suspended after allegedly telling children that Santa was not real and mentioning the recent US school massacre.
22 December 2012 11:50
Amazingly, world survives Maya 'apocalypse'
A global day of lighthearted doom-themed celebration and superstitious scare-mongering culminated Friday at the temples of the Mayan people, whose calendar sparked fears of apocalypse.
22 December 2012 11:31
US adoption groups voice concern over Russia ban
US adoption agencies expressed deep concern Thursday after President Vladimir Putin backed legislation making it illegal for Russian children to be adopted by Americans.
22 December 2012 10:52
Media outnumber doomsayers in Turkish 'apocalypse haven'
As the village of Sirince waited for what some say is an apocalypse from which the tiny Turkish hamlet will be spared, its streets were teeming not with doomsayers but a hoard of disappointed journalists.
More doomsday sect arrests in China
China has detained more than 100 further members of a Christian sect accused of predicting doomsday, state media said Friday, taking the total held beyond 1,000 as officials denied cold weather was apocalypse-related.
US woman crowned Miss Universe 2012
American Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 late Wednesday, beating out beauties from around the world to claim the coveted title.
Group defiant over US ban on tackling Japan whalers
US conservation group Sea Shepherd vowed Tuesday to fight a US court order to stay at least 500 yards away from Japanese whaling ships, and to keep protecting whales "with our ships and our lives."
US boy, 11, brings gun to class after massacre
An 11-year-old boy has been charged with possessing a deadly weapon after bringing a gun to school, claiming he was worried about a massacre like Connecticut's.