Nepal campaigners plead for killer elephant's life Nepalese animal rights groups pleaded Monday for the life of a lovelorn elephant which has trampled several people to death and is being hunted down by an army execution squad.
25 December 2012
Vietnam seeks economic boost with fresh rate cuts Vietnam on Monday cut its key interest rates for the sixth time in 2012 in an attempt to boost an economy growing at the weakest pace in more than a decade.
25 December 2012
Mayan temple damaged in tourist 'apocalypse' frenzy Tourists flocking to Guatemala for "end of the world" parties have damaged an ancient stone temple at Tikal, the largest archeological site and urban center of the Mayan civilization.
25 December 2012
Egypt waits on referendum results; opposition cries fraud Egypt on Monday was awaiting official results of a referendum on a new constitution reportedly backed by two-thirds of voters but which the opposition alleged was riddled with fraud.
'Hobbit' slays competition for second weekend in a row Hordes of North American moviegoers flocked to theaters to watch "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," launching the "Lord of the Rings" prequel to box office gold for the second weekend in a row.
24 December 2012
Surge in Pakistan violence raises fears for elections A surge of violence in northwest Pakistan culminating in the assassination of a senior provincial minister has raised fears of a renewed Taliban campaign that could threaten national elections.
Akhmetov met with Uzbekistan Prime-MinisterKazakhstan Prime-Minister Serik Akhmetov met with Uzbekistan Prime-Minister Savkat Mirziyeyev during his official visit to Uzbekistan.
24 December 2012
Putin's top foe Navalny faces new charges Russian investigators on Monday opened a third criminal case against an opposition leader who poses one of the main challenges to President Vladimir Putin in opinion polls.
24 December 2012
Kazakhstan and China introduced new railroad border crossingThe ceremony of opening of Kazakhstan-Chinese new border crossing Altynkol-Khorgos was attended by head of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Askar Mamin and head of Urumqi railroad Tan Sheshen.
Afghan policewoman shoots dead foreign adviser A female Afghan police officer on Monday shot dead a foreign civilian adviser in Kabul police headquarters, officials said, in the first "insider" attack to be carried out by a woman.
24 December 2012
US lobby issues point-blank 'no' on gun control The most powerful gun lobby in the United States stood firm Monday against any additional restraints on firearms and ammunition sales -- despite a national outcry in the wake of the Sandy Hook school massacre.
24 December 2012
Revealed: secrets of ancient Chinese medicinal herb Scientist in the United States on Sunday offered a molecular-level explanation for how a Chinese herbal medicine used for more than 2,000 years tackles fever and eases malaria.
24 December 2012
Japan's new China envoy urges stronger economic ties Japan's new envoy to China urged stronger economic ties with Beijing in an interview broadcast Monday, after the incoming premier pledged to mend bilateral ties strained by a bitter territorial row.
24 December 2012
2012 an 'extraordinary year' for Britain: PM Prime Minister David Cameron said 2012 has been an "extraordinary year" for Britain in which the country "showed the world what we're made of" with the London Games and Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.
24 December 2012
Christmas misery in Haiti camp, three years after quake While people around the world celebrate the arrival of Christmas, residents of a refugee camp in Haiti say hunger and want will mark the holiday, like every other day of the year.