China is closing a dozen websites, penalizing two popular social media sites and detaining six people for circulating rumors of a coup that rattled Beijing in the midst of its worst high-level political crisis in years.The extensive clampdown, announced late Friday by state media, underscores the authoritarian government's anxieties over a public that is wired to the Internet and eager to discuss

 

Three lottery tickets sold in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland hit the world record-breaking $640 million Mega Millions jackpot, lottery officials said Saturday, dashing the get-rich-quick dreams of millions of players across the country.Illinois' winner used a quick pick in which the computer selected the winning numbers on a ticket sold at a convenience store in the small town of Red Bud, near St.

A cruise ship with 1,000 people on board that had drifted for 24 hours after being disabled by a fire was headed toward Malaysia following repairs and was expected to reach shore Sunday, the ship's company said. The Azamara Quest, which had embarked on a 17-day Southeast Asian cruise, was left drift

NEW YORK (AFP) -- The record $640 million lottery prize that sent the United States into a gambling frenzy reportedly had at least one winner early Saturday as local media said the winning ticket had been sold in the state of Maryland.   The winning numbers -- 2, 4, 23, 38, 46 with Me

BEIJING (AP) -- China is shuttering more than a dozen websites, penalizing two popular social media sites and detaining six people for circulating rumors of a coup that rattled Beijing in the midst of its worst high-level political crisis in years.   The announcement carried late Frid

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a major cyber intrusion at an Atlanta-based payment processor that could expose millions of MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover cardholders to fraudulent charges.Processor Global Payments Inc said on Friday it had found "unauthorized access" into

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Friday he was plowing ahead with potential sanctions against countries that keep buying oil from Iran, including allies of the United States, in a deepening campaign to starve Iran of money for its disputed nuclear program.The world oil market is tight,

TOKYO (AP) ― Japan’s defense minister on Friday ordered missile units to intercept a rocket expected to be launched by North Korea next month if it flies over Japan.The order from Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka came at a meeting of Japan’s national security council. It followed instructions issued earlier in the week for the military to prepare to intercept the satellite rocket if it enters Japanese territory.The Unha-3 rocket is expected to fly past western Japan after its launch from North Kore

YANGON (AP) ― Myanmar has sent out a surprisingly broad guest list for elections Sunday, hoping to showcase its democratic credentials to the world.The by-election is likely to mark a symbolic turning point by bringing opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for the first time, an event that would raise hopes for a more representative government after a half century of repressive military rule.However, with less than 7 percent of the chambers’ seats contested,

MADRID (AP) ― Spanish workers enraged by austerity-driven labor reforms to prevent the nation from becoming Europe’s next bailout victim has slowed down the country’s economy in a general strike, closing factories and clashing with police as the new-center right government tried to convince investors the nation isn’t headed for a financial meltdown.Tens of thousands held protest marches in Madrid and other cities Thursday, and the demonstrations turned violent in Spain’s second-largest city of B

At least 13 people died during an uprising by armed inmates at a Honduran prison Thursday, one of them decapitated and the others killed by a fire started by the rioters, authorities said.Varying reports of local and national authorities said as many as 18 inmates were killed, but national police ch

A Hungarian university decided Thursday to revoke the doctorate of the country's president after an investigation found that large parts of his 1992 thesis were copied from other authors.Rector Tivadar Tulassay said Semmelweis University's senate voted 33-4 in favor of revocation because Pal Schmitt

NEW DELHI (AP) _ The leaders of five of the world's fast-rising powers agreed Thursday to move toward creating a new development bank that would improve access to capital for poor nations.Accusing current international institutions of failing to lift up poor countries, the BRICS group _ Brazil, Russ