Ralph Fiennes reveals other Dickens in 'Invisible Woman'For his second film as director, British actor Ralph Fiennes lifts the cover on a little-known secret about classic English author Charles Dickens: his decade-long adulterous affair with a young actress.
26 December 2013
Vaccine fears in China after hepatitis B scareChinese 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.
Christmas in mud as rain pelts Philippine disaster zoneSurvivors of the Philippines' deadliest typhoon spent a gloomy Christmas Day surrounded by mud Wednesday as heavy rain drove many inside their flimsy shelters, dampening efforts to retain some holiday cheer in the deeply devout nation.
26 December 2013
Kazakhstan to reach Top 30 by 2025Professor Robin Matthews of the Kingston Business School predicts that Kazakhstan will be among the Top 30 most developed countries by 2025.
Arctic protester vows to fight on after Russian case closedA 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
Kim urges N. Korea military to bolster combat readinessNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has urged the country's military to bolster its combat readiness, saying a war could break out "without any prior notice", state media reported Wednesday.
25 December 2013
Fukushima operator readies new restructuring planTokyo Electric Power said it would submit a fresh restructuring plan to a Japanese government-backed fund Wednesday, which could see the creation of a special unit to dismantle the crippled Fukushima plant.
25 December 2013
'Thousands' killed as South Sudan slides towards civil warThousands of South Sudanese have been killed in over a week of violence with reports of bodies piled in mass graves, the UN said Tuesday, as the Security Council agreed to nearly double its peacekeepers in the young nation threatening to slide into civil war.
25 December 2013
NYC first daughter confesses to drug, alcohol abuseThe 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.
Turkey's scandal-hit ministers resignTurkey's economy and interior ministers, ensnared in a vast corruption scandal that has roiled the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, resigned.
25 December 2013
Rockets explode in Kabul as foreigners mark ChristmasTwo rockets exploded in Kabul on Wednesday morning, causing no reported casualties but underlining Afghanistan's continuing security problems as many foreigners in the capital marked Christmas Day.
25 December 2013
Pope marks first Christmas as crowds flock to BethlehemPope 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
Italian 'Slave' posters pulled amid racism claimsThe US studio behind Golden Globe-nominated historical drama "12 Years a Slave," has asked the film's Italian distributors to withdraw posters which triggered an online storm over alleged racism.
25 December 2013
Chinese woman gave birth to twins at 60: reportA 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
Sri Lanka bars Australian luxury hotelier in flag spatSri 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.