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Last month, scientists around the world agreed to temporarily halt controversial scientific research with bird flu viruses. Some experts say too little is known about how infectious this virus could be to humans, but other experts think those risks have been blown a bit out of proportion.

The transition of power in China this fall will usher out a generation of engineers and technocrats, and replace them with economists and lawyers who may be less scared of political experimentation. But two distinct factions are emerging, and their biggest challenge will be how to handle changes.

President Obama's health care overhaul was largely based on one that then-Gov. Mitt Romney signed into law in Massachusetts in 2006. Now, more than 98 percent of state residents have health insurance, and the law has drawn unexpected supporters. But controlling costs remains a challenge.

If you listen carefully, you'll catch phrases in Downton Abbey that are ahead of their time. Linguist Ben Zimmer points out snippets of dialogue that Lord Grantham would have been unlikely to say.

Brad Pitt has had quite a year: Two of his films — Moneyball and The Tree of Life — are up for the Best Picture Oscar, and the baseball film earned him a Best Actor nod. Pitt says the Oakland A's manager's idiosyncrasies made the role interesting.

The members of the team spent 20 months away from their homes before releasing a final report in December. But the tour of the White House will be self-guided.

Murdoch's besieged newspaper The Sun hits back after the arrest of five more journalists in connection with a bribery and phone hacking probe.

The achievement gap between black and white students has narrowed significantly over the past 50 years. The gulf between rich and poor students, however, has widened dramatically. Several studies suggest that family income serves as a better predictor of school success.

Egypt is set to start rewriting its constitution in March, a year after the fall of president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. During a visit to Egypt, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she "would not look to the U.S. Constitution if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012."

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons say demand for cosmetic surgery is rising as at the economy improves. For the second year in a row surgical procedures increased by 2 percent. Nonsurgical procedures, such as Botox injections.