Thousands of faithful celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world together with local Christians gathered in the biblical town of Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus, with spirits lifted by a slowdown in recent violence and cool, clear weather.

Security was tight in Bethlehem after recent deadly attacks on Christian targets in neighboring Egypt and Jordan by Islamic extremists.

Deutsche, Credit Suisse to compensate consumers post-crisis

Nine years after the collapse of the U.S. housing market sent shockwaves through the global economy, two European banks have agreed to offer American homeowners and borrowers billions of dollars' worth of help under a settlement related to the sale of risky securities that helped spark the 2008 crisis.

Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse said Friday they agreed to the tentative settlements with the U.S. Justice Department over their dealings in mortgage-backed bonds.

Death toll in alcohol poisoning in Russia climbs to 72

Local health officials in Russia's Siberia say the number of people who have died from drinking a bath lotion that contained methanol has climbed to 72.

The health ministry in the Irkutsk region said on its website Thursday that another 33 were still in hospital while six others have been discharged.

CBI arrests former IAF chief S.P. Tyagi

The CBI on Friday arrested former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief S.P. Tyagi on charges of corruption in its ongoing probe into the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

S.P. Tyagi was taken into custody from Delhi along with his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi alias Julie Tyagi and a Delhi-based lawyer, Gautam Khaitan.

Isro launches PSLV C36 remote sensing satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C36 Resource Sat-2A at 10.25 am on Wednesday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Resource Sat-2A is a remote sensing satellite developed by the space agency. The 1,235 kg Resource Sat-2A was placed on the 817-km polar sun synchronous orbit 18 minutes after it took off.  

Thousands mourn beloved leader Jayalalithaa in south India

Hundreds of thousands of people thronged the southern Indian city of Chennai on Tuesday to honor their late beloved leader, Jayaram Jayalalithaa, a former film actress and popular politician.

Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, died overnight following a heart attack a day earlier.

Indian actress-turned-politician Jayaram Jayalalithaa dies

Jayaram Jayalalithaa, the hugely popular south Indian actress who later turned to politics and became the highest elected official in the state of Tamil Nadu, died Monday. She was 68.

The Apollo Hospital in the southern Indian city of Chennai said Jayalalithaa died at 11:30 p.m. local time Monday after undergoing surgery following a heart attack on Sunday night.

Known by her followers as "Amma," which means "Mother" in the Tamil language, Jayalalithaa inspired intense loyalty among film fans and political supporters alike.