US pledges first direct aid to Syria rebel fighters
The United States has announced it will provide direct aid to Syrian rebels, but not the arms they had hoped for, as well as $60 million in extra assistance to the political opposition.
Facebook buys advertising firm from Microsoft
Facebook agreed Thursday to buy Atlas Advertiser Suite from Microsoft as part of an effort to boost ad revenues at the massive social network.
Glasses.com turns heads with 3-D iPad app
Jonathan Coon turned heads Wednesday with iPad software that lets people try on sunglasses by manipulating 3-D images of themselves from the neck up.
New study finds anti-nausea drug safe for pregnancy
Morning sickness is an all-too-common side effect of pregnancy, and a new study out Wednesday said a medication used to treat the most serious cases is safe for fetuses.
US teenager crafts early detection tool for cancer
Jack Andraka catapulted from being a typical US teenager unaware of the pancreas to one with a cheap way to detect cancer in the organ before it turns deadly.
In smartphone's wake comes the intelligent watch
After the smartphone, the intelligent watch promises to become the latest hi-tech trend, allowing wearers to peek at messages and even take calls without touching their phones.
US pianist Van Cliburn, Cold War music hero, dies
US pianist Van Cliburn, who won a world competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War and whose music transcended the decades-long standoff, died at age 78.
US drug firm Mylan to buy Indian firm for $1.6 bn
US generic drugs specialist Mylan said Thursday it would buy a unit of India's pharma firm Strides Arcolab for $1.6 billion, boosting its presence in the high-growth injectable drugs market.
'House of Cards' deals winning hand to fans of binge TV
The Machiavellian scheming of a fictional US congressman with a chip on his shoulder and an ax to grind is taking binge television viewing to a new level.
Obama tells Egypt's Morsi to 'protect' democracy
US President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Morsi has a "responsibility to protect" the democratic principles advanced by the 2011 uprising.
US urges talks to end decade-old Darfur war
The United States on Tuesday marked 10 years of war in Darfur, warning that without political talks the Sudan region may face another decade of the devastating conflict.
Lack of sleep leads to groggy genes: study
Lack of sleep has a potentially harmful effect on gene expression, according to a study out Tuesday that sheds light on the link between sleep deficits and a wide range of health conditions.
US lawsuit claims 'King of Beers' is watered down
The makers of Budweiser faced accusations on Tuesday of watering down the popular American lager in search of higher profits, in a class action lawsuit flatly rejected by the brewery.
US House speaker urges senators to get 'off their ass'
House Speaker John Boehner laid bare the Republican leadership's exasperation Tuesday over looming US budget cuts, as he demanded senators get "off their ass" to forge a compromise and avert a crisis.
Looming US cuts raise fears for world's poor
With the United States days away from billions of dollars in automatic spending cuts, anti-poverty campaigners fear that reductions in foreign aid could potentially lead to thousands of deaths.
Trove of Kipling poems discovered
An investigation by a US academic has uncovered 50 unpublished poems by British writer Rudyard Kipling in locations including a New York house and the papers of a former cruise-line owner.
US judge labels anti-whaling group 'pirates'
A US appeals court has labeled militant conservationist group Sea Shepherd as pirates, and cleared the way for Japanese whalers to pursue legal action against them.
Hagel confirmed as next US secretary of defense
The US Senate confirmed Chuck Hagel to be secretary of defense Tuesday, ending a long and acrimonious nomination process and handing President Barack Obama a boost as he fills his second-term cabinet.
New study links extreme weather to climate change
Scientists said Monday they have identified a physical mechanism behind the extreme weather that has plagued many parts of the world in recent years -- and that it is tied to climate change.
Syria rebels agree to meet Kerry, dismiss Damascus offer
Syria's opposition has cancelled a planned boycott of an international conference on the two-year conflict after appeals from Britain and the US, but rejected an offer of talks from Damascus.