Fukushima groundwater being released into Pacific

The operator of Japan's destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant began releasing groundwater that it said is within legal radiation safety limits into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, in a bid to manage huge amounts of radioactive water built up at the site.

'Lost' snake species found in Mexico

A species of snake that had been "lost" for almost 80 years has been re-discovered on a remote Mexican island.

2,000 trains too wide for platforms, French rail company says

France's national rail company SNCF said on Tuesday it had ordered 2,000 trains for an expanded regional network that are too wide for many station platforms, entailing costly repairs.

Guangdong Special: Guangdong paves the way for low-carbon growth

The provincial government of Guangdong signed an agreement with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Guangzhou last year to turn Guangdong into the nation's first model province for developing a low-carbon economy and eco-cities by the year 2020.

Guangdong Special: Province sets ecological control line to optimize urban development

Guangdong's government is striving to improve its quality of growth by focusing on ecological protection in urbanization.

Bombings in Nigeria claim at least 118 lives

Back-to-back bomb blasts killed at least 118 people and wounded 45 in the crowded business district of the central Nigerian city of Jos on Tuesday, in an attack that appeared to bear the hallmarks of Boko Haram insurgents, emergency services said.

Egypt's Mubarak gets 3 years for graft

A Cairo court convicted ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of embezzlement on Wednesday, sentencing him to three years in prison.

Sisi, a tough-talker but with smiles

Egypt's presidential frontrunner Abdel Fattah al-Sisi may come across as a polished civilian after shedding his military uniform, but his brutal crackdown on opponents has raised fears of a return to autocracy.

Army gathers rival leaders for talks in Bangkok

Thailand's military convened crisis talks on Wednesday between warring political rivals, vowing to stop the kingdom from degenerating into another Ukraine or Egypt after imposing martial law to suppress months of bloody protests.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Berliners to vote on fate of Cold War icon airport

Berlin's former Tempelhof Airport, a Cold War icon, has become its biggest green space, but a battle rages over its future, pitting developers against defenders of the slightly anarchic playground.

Rising seas threatening NASA launch centers

The rise in sea levels is threatening the majority of NASA's launch pads and multibillion-dollar complexes famous for training astronauts and launching historic missions to space, scientists said on Tuesday.