World leaders face big challenges in 2013
Barack Obama is back and China has a new leader in Xi Jinping, but world leaders face heavyweight issues in the coming year, from lingering economic crises to bloody tumult in the Middle East.
At least three dead in US mall shooting
At least two people were killed Tuesday when a masked gunman opened fire at a mall in the western US state of Oregon, sparking panic before apparently turning the gun on himself.
New Yorkers live longer than other Americans: mayor
New Yorkers are living longers than Americans overall, and the margin is increasing, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday as he praised his administration's health policies.
US seen as 'first among equals' in 2030: intel report
The United States will likely be the "first among equals" rather than a lone superpower by 2030, in an increasingly chaotic world where China is the top economy.
Colorado becomes second US state to legalize pot
Colorado became the second US state to legalize marijuana for recreational use Monday, as its governor signed a voter-backed proposal into law.
Strauss-Kahn strikes secret deal to end US sex case
Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Monday agreed a financial settlement with a New York hotel maid who had accused him of sexual assault.
US report faults Pakistan over Afghan war
Despite an easing of tensions with the United States, Pakistan is persistently undermining security in Afghanistan by permitting safe havens for insurgents.
Clinton cancels Morocco trip due to illness
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has canceled a planned trip to Morocco due to a stomach virus, her office said Monday.
Weddings abound as Washington's gay marriage law kicks in
Hundreds of same-sex couples flocked to get married in the northwest state of Washington on Sunday, the first day possible after the state approved gay marriage in a referendum in November.
Brief Facebook outage after infrastructure change
Facebook was unreachable briefly on Monday after the social network made a change to part of its infrastructure dealing with routing traffic to its online address.
Settlement expected in Strauss-Kahn sex-case with maid
Lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the ex-IMF chief and onetime French presidential hopeful, are headed to court Monday hoping to close the books on the New York sex scandal that destroyed his stellar career.
Gene sleuths track spread of hospital superbug
Gene detectives on Sunday said they had pinpointed how a hospital superbug arose in North America in the early 2000s and spread to Europe before becoming a source of global concern.
Software pioneer McAfee seeks return to United States
US anti-virus software pioneer John McAfee said Sunday that he has filed legal motions with the Guatemalan government to avoid extradition to Belize, in hopes of being sent instead to the United States.
IMF's Lagarde warns against US fudge on fiscal cliff
The United States needs to raise taxes and cut spending to address the looming fiscal cliff, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Sunday, warning that anything less would undermine economic confidence.
Arab League hopes US, Russia reconcile on Syria
Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi hoped on Sunday that the United States and Russia could reconcile their views over Syria in order to facilitate a settlement of the crisis in the war-ravaged country.
Clinton to testify this month on Benghazi attack
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will testify this month before US lawmakers at Senate and House hearings about the deadly September attack on the US mission in Benghazi.
Second US lottery winner 'only played twice in year'
A lucky player in Arizona, a married man in his 30s, has claimed the second winning ticket in the US Powerball lottery's near-record jackpot of $587.5 million.
Supreme Court to take up issue of gay marriage
The US Supreme Court on Friday decided to take up the sensitive issue of gay marriage, hearing challenges to a federal law denying benefits to same-sex couples and California's ban on such unions.
Low-key start to second term for Obama
President Barack Obama will begin his second term in low-key fashion, with a small private swearing-in ceremony on January 20 before he takes the oath of office before the eyes of the world the next day.