Reuters - If you recently tweeted about how you were chillaxin for the holiday, take note: Fifteen particularly over- or mis-used words and phrases have been declared “shovel-ready” to be “unfriended” by a U.S. university’s annual list of terms that deserve to be banned.
Reuters - Russia has urged revelers celebrating the New Year in saunas on Thursday night to refrain from popping open the champagne until they have left the steam houses, warning it could prove fatal.
Reuters - Excessive drinking over New Year’s Eve could cost Britain’s National Health Service as much as 23 million pounds, according to a report on Thursday which recommends drunks be charged a hospital admission fee of 532 pounds ($845.9).
Reuters - The world’s fastest train hit its first speed bump in the form of a disobedient smoker less than a week after it began running in southern China.
Reuters - Afghanistan’s first skateboarding park and school opened in Kabul on Tuesday with a boarding showdown between dozens of youngsters — ranging from ministers’ children to streetkids — that it aims to bring together.
Reuters - North Korea’s New Year’s wish of seeing the destruction of a massive concrete wall dividing the Korean peninsula never seems to come true — mostly because there is no such barrier.
Reuters - Americans would most like to live next door to the Obama family. But a reality star like California’s “Octomom”, or Jon and Kate Gosselin and their brood of eight would be a big turn off, according to a poll released on Tuesday.
Reuters - From the German town that unwittingly advertised pornography on its website to the American who interrupted his wedding to update his Facebook and Twitter accounts, the world was full of weird stories in 2009.
Reuters - Roman Polanski has thanked people who have sent messages of support during his battle to avoid extradition from Switzerland to the United States over a case of having sex with a 13-year-old in 1977.
Reuters - How many unwanted gifts did you get under the Christmas tree? If you’re Australian, the number is likely to be more than one, amounting to a nationwide total of 20 million “useless” presents, according to a survey.