US Braces for Big Chill as 'Polar Vortex' Set to Bring Record Low Temperatures
Freezing weather to hit half continental US with temperatures falling to -60F (-51C).
South Sudan: Fresh Fighting Erupts as African Bloc Threatens Sanctions
Fighting breaks out in Bor as African Union warns of sanctions if violence persists.
Abbas Hails Release of Palestinian Prisoners by Israel
Freed prisoners arrive in West Bank and Gaza to cheers as US Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to visit Middle East.
Russia: 15 Killed in Second Bomb Attack in Volgograd
Blast on trolleybus at busy marketplace in Dzerzhinsky district labelled terror attack and follows previous day's explosion.
Michael Schumacher's Ski Accident Caused by 'Technical Error'
Formula One legend sustains head injury during ski accident at French Alps resort of Meribel.
Australian Icebreaker Aurora Australis Trying to Rescue Russian Ship in Antarctic
Passengers aboard Akademik Shokalskiy will be airlifted if final mission fails.
Assad Reaffirms Syria's Standpoint to Pope Francis
Ahead of second round of Geneva talks, Syrian president tells Pope there should be no foreign intervention.
Arctic Polar Bears to Give Birth to 5,000 Cubs around New Year's Day
Polar bears' birthday marked on 29 December as breeding season begins.
Thai Army Chief to Consider 'Coup' against Yingluck if Situation Worsens
Thai military chief Prayuth Chan-ocha does not rule out coup against interim PM.
Train Inferno in South India Kills 23
Fire breaks out in an air-conditioned carriage of Bangalore-Nanded Express while passing through Andhra Pradesh.
Iranian Lawmakers Urge 60% Uranium Enrichment
Group of 100 Iranian MPs call for further uranium enrichment if Geneva deal fails.
Fresh Storms Batter UK and Ireland Disrupting Travel Plans
Gales up to 109mph and heavy rain lash Britain triggering flood warnings, while several flights have been cancelled or diverted.
African Leaders Meet in South Sudan to Broker Peace Deal
Ethiopian PM and Kenyan president hold talks with South Sudan president Salva Kiir as fresh fighting breaks out in Upper Nile state .
Car Bomb Kills 15 Christians near Baghdad Church
Explosion in Doura town in Iraqi capital kills Christians during Christmas celebrations.
South Sudan: UN Doubles Peacekeepers as Toll Mounts
Liberia, Abyei, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast to contribute additional troops.
South Korea Warns of Strong Retaliation against North If Provoked
President Park Geun-hye vows 'stern and merciless' action amid Korean peninsula tensions.
South Sudan Fighting Escalating Into Ethnic War
Fears of civil war loom as Dinka and Nuer tribes clash leaving scores dead amid claims of massacre.
Egypt: Blast at Police HQ near Cairo Kills 14
Muslim Brotherhood blamed for car bomb explosion in Egypt's Nile delta city of Mansoura.
Israel: Teenagers Gang-rape 12-year-old Girl in School and Film the Act
Tel Aviv police arrest 13 boys, mostly aged around 14, for crime.
Pussy Riot Member Maria Alyokhina Walks Free from Russian Prison [VIDEO]
Another Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova expected to be released shortly.
South Sudan Government Troops Lose Control of Oil-rich Bentiu [VIDEO]
Unity state capital falls to commander allied to ousted vice-president Riek Machar.
Mozambique Plane Crash 'Deliberately' Caused by Pilot
Probe suggests pilot locked himself in cockpit and ignored alarms.
Cuba's Raul Castro Calls for Stronger Ties with US
Call comes after Cuban leader's handshake with Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's memorial service.
Russian Oligarch Khodorkovsky's Parents Set to Arrive in Germany
Kremlin critic greeted be former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.
US-India Devyani Khobragade Row: Preet Bharara 'Using Case to Push Political Career'
New York attorney Preet Bharara is said to be under pressure for relentlessly pursuing cases involving high-profile Indians in US.
London Apollo Theatre Ceiling Collapse Injures Dozens
Part of ceiling collapses on audience during performance of popular play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Devyani Khobragade Row: Indian Leaders Want to Strip US Diplomats Naked and Arrest Gay Partners
Party leaders demand swift and brutal response to diplomatic spat over Khobragade's arrest.
US-India Diplomatic Row: Delhi's Fury Puts Washington on Back Foot
US stops short of issuing apology over diplomat's arrest but vows to review circumstances.
South Sudan Clashes Kill Hundreds amid Rising Fears of Ethnic Conflict
Violence between rival army factions could have killed 400 to 500 people, UN officials say.
US-India Diplomatic Row over Consul's 'Barbaric' Arrest Escalates
Delhi asks American diplomats to turn in ID cards, removes special privileges.
