Celebrity hacking scandals expose vulnerabilities in 'cloud' storage

To keep private pictures private, never upload them online.

How to protect your information on the web

If actress Jennifer Lawrence and model Kate Upton knew little about the Internet "cloud", they would not be alone, but the recent theft of their intimate photos has served as a wake-up call.

Second beheading raises stakes for US

Islamic State extremists have released a video showing the beheading of a second US journalist, Steven Sotloff, and warned US President Barack Obama that continuing airstrikes against the group in Iraq will be met with the killing of more Western captives.

Lebanese army identifies sergeant killed by extremists

Lebanon's military says it has identified the remains of a soldier beheaded by Islamic militants.

Pakistan politicians seek negotiated settlement to crisis

Rival Pakistani politicians explored on Wednesday the possibility of a negotiated solution to weeks of protests aimed at the removal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Putin: Ukraine solution 'very close'

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday his views and those of his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko were "very close" on finding a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine, and called for both sides to observe a cease-fire.

Japan Cabinet reshuffle prioritizes economy

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday carried out his first Cabinet reshuffle since December 2012 and prioritized the subject of revitalizing Japan's economy.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Ancient markings 'bring Neanderthals even closer to us'

Markings dating back 40,000 years suggest Neanderthals were considerably more sophisticated than previously thought, researchers say.

UN climate chief: Time running out

The UN's top official on climate change, Christiana Figueres, warned on Tuesday that time is running out for meaningful action on global warming, citing the plight of low-lying Pacific nations that face ever-rising seas.

Sharif asserts control of Pakistani parliament

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a joint session of parliament on Tuesday as a deepening crisis over violent protests demanding his resignation prompted fears of an army intervention.

Palmer digs govt out of hole on mining tax

Australia agreed on Tuesday to dump a hotly disputed profits tax on mineral resources after the government struck a surprise deal with senators, including mining tycoon Clive Palmer.