Putin holds first talks with West

Vladimir Putin entered talks Friday around Syria's fate after an intervention that ensured Russia's role as a major player no matter what the outcome.

India vows to cut carbon intensity in Paris pledge

As the last major economy to submit a target for a global climate pact, India is pledging to reduce the intensity of its carbon emissions and boost the share of electricity produced from sources other than fossil fuels to 40 percent by 2030.

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Palestine's shining moment at the UN

Palestinians in the West Bank celebrated President Mahmoud Abbas' United Nations General Assembly speech on Wednesday and the raising of their flag at UN headquarters for the first time.

Seals stranded in record numbers

Guadalupe fur seals, a threatened species that breed off Mexico and normally spend much of their time at sea, have washed up dead and dying in record numbers along the California coast this year, another apparent casualty of warming ocean temperatures.

Colleges seek to better integrate Chinese

The multitudes of Chinese students attending American universities are approaching college as less of a life experience and more as a transaction, educators worry, leading to measures to help them integrate - including broadcasting football games in Mandarin and giving them orientation before they even leave Asia.

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Russia on Thursday confirmed a second day of air strikes inside Syria. The strikes were coupled by intensive reconnaissance flights, sources told Xinhua, saying dozens of terrorists were killed during the strikes.

Japanese savor golden oldies they remember from youth

Tossed aside as outdated junk by some, old video games such as Donkey Kong and Pac-Man are now getting a new lease on life in Tokyo's vibrant Akihabara district, as growing numbers of die-hard fans seek out vintage classics to relive their youth.

Russian forces begin airstrikes in Syria

Russia on Wednesday carried out its first airstrike in Syria, near the city of Homs, a US defense official said, marking the formal start of Moscow's military intervention in the 4.5-year-old conflict.

Obama, Castro meet at UN

US President Barack Obama met his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro on Tuesday at the United Nations - all smiles after both renewed their calls for an end to the US trade embargo against Havana.

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Inactive officials a drain on the national economy

Disciplinary punishments have been meted out to about 300 government officials for being lazy and inactive. Officials' idleness and inaction have stagnated investment, delayed development projects, slowed land development and prevented the revamping of shantytowns.