Artificial Christmas trees taking root in US

People in the United States are hoisting more artificial Christmas trees as they weigh the cost of the real ones.

Green thumb spruces up Bangladesh one tree at a time

JESSORE, Bangladesh - Ohid Sarder prises a rusted nail from a tree and drops it into his bucket, another eyesore scrubbed from the countryside as he embarks on a one-man mission to clean up Bangladesh.

Japan picks 'disaster' as 2018 symbol

Japan on Wednesday picked the Chinese character "disaster" to symbolize 2018, a year that saw deadly floods, strong earthquakes and heavy storms hit the country.

Indian girl seeks father's arrest over lack of toilet

NEW DELHI - A seven year-old Indian girl has complained to the police to have her father arrested after he failed to build a toilet in their home as promised, police said on Wednesday.

Britain's May faces up to leadership challenge

Opponents of Britain's prime minister, Theresa May, mounted a challenge against her leadership of the Conservative Party on Wednesday, a move that culminated in a secret ballot of the party's members of Parliament later in the evening.

Conservative contenders

So far, none of Theresa May's critics have publicly stated they want to replace her as leader of the Conservative Party but several MPs do seem to be in the frame.

India's Modi concedes defeat in key state elections

NEW DELHI - India's ruling party lost power in three key states on Tuesday, dealing Prime Minister Narendra Modi his biggest defeat since he took office in 2014 and boosting the opposition ahead of national polls next year.

Trump threatens shutdown during televised spat

WASHINGTON - In a wild Oval Office confrontation, US President Donald Trump heatedly threatened to shut down the government on Tuesday as he and Democratic leaders bickered over funding for his promised border wall and offered a grim preview of life in Washington the next two years under divided government.

Hunt on for gunman after market attack

STRASBOURG, France - Hundreds of French security forces were deployed on Wednesday in the hunt for a lone gunman who killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in Strasbourg, with the government raising the security alert level and reinforcing border controls.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Kiev to end key accord with Russia

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed legislation ending the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, the presidential press service said.

Surviving reef 'more resilient to heat'

SYDNEY - Corals on Australia's Great Barrier Reef that survived bleaching from rising sea temperatures were more resistant to another bout of hot conditions the following year, scientists said on Tuesday, a "silver lining" for the embattled ecosystem.