Scientists announced the discovery of the most distant galaxy cluster ever seen in the early universe at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society held in Austin, Texas.

The U.S. Federal Reserve has paid approximately 76.9 billion dollars of its estimated 2011 net income to the U.S. Treasury, the central bank said in a statement Tuesday.

The United Nations and the Libyan authorities on Tuesday signed an agreement establishing the legal framework under which the UN mission set up last year to support the North African country's post-conflict reconstruction efforts will operate.

The European Commission issued three billion euros (3.8 billion U.S. dollars) of 30-year maturity bonds Monday on the back of strong and wide demand from investors.

An undersea earthquake with magnitude of 7.1 rocked northern tip of Sumatra island earlier Wednesday, it was potential for tsunami that the people flee from coastal areas, but no damages or casualty was reported, officials said.

 

Iran confirmed that it has begun uranium enrichment at an underground bunker of the Fordo nuclear facility, Iranian diplomats on Monday said at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s headquarters.

Scandal-hit Olympus said Tuesday it has lodged lawsuits against 19 current and former executives for a combined $215 million in damages relating to a massive investment loss cover-up.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday vowed to strengthen U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region despite fiscal constraints.

Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange further hiked on Thursday, extending the metal's rally into the fourth trading day, as a weaker euro spurred buying of gold.

Up to 24 people were killed and 66 others wounded in a spate of bomb attacks in Baghdad Shi'ite bastions on Thursday morning, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.

Oil prices continued to rise on Wednesday after a strong rally on previous trading day, as U.S. economic data provided solid support.

The World Bank announced Wednesday that Hasan Tuluy, a Turkish national and a strong supporter of inclusive growth, will become the new vice president.

A vagrant boy sat all huddled up in a corner of Beijing Railway Station, trying to keep himself warm in the chilly wind on Tuesday afternoon.

Two NASA spacecrafts launched from Florida in September are set to enter orbit around moon over the New Year's weekend to measure the gravity field and lunar interior, according to media reports on Tuesday.