Around the Globe

The global population is now or soon will be 7 billion, and media around the world are scrambling to anoint the seven billionth, conflating an estimate with an exact count.

Curacao and St Maarten have become autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, joining Aruba, which gained the status in 1986.

Mogul Rupert Murdoch is embroiled in a scandal that threatens to shake his media empire to its foundations.

The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in 100 years unleashed walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns and tossing cars like toys.

In a heinous and cowardly attack attributed to al-Qaeda, a bomb was remotely detonated at a popular cafe in Morocco, killing 16.

An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egypt ousted President Mubarak, shattering 3 decades of political stasis and overturning the established order of the Arab world.

On the premiere of her final season, Oprah announced she was sending her entire audience on an all-expenses-paid trip to Australia. But this publicity spot does not come cheap.

Libyan rebels were forced to retreat from a key oil port Thursday in the face of a withering air and ground assault by troops loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The Dalai Lama, who retains his role as spiritual leader, was pleased to hear that his political functions had been devolved to Harvard University academic Lobsang Sangay.

Peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians may dissolve since a building-freeze on settlements in the West Bank expired in late September.