UNITED STATES

Swiss bank UBS accepted a $1.5 billion fine on Wednesday after admitting fraud and bribery in a deepening scandal over the rigging of global benchmark interest rates.

Just 38 percent of full-time employees in the U.S. plan to take off work on Dec. 24 for Christmas Eve, while only 28 percent plan to take off Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

After the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. last Friday, radio stations have elected to remove "Pumped Up Kicks" from the airwaves.

A new report -- from the administration, not its Republican critics -- examines what went wrong in Libya.

The Justice Department said that Paula Broadwell won't be charged with cyberstalking.

The Treasury Department aims to conclude its bold, and expensive, investment in General Motors six years after it launched the rescue.

With a ratio of 23.8 firearms/weapons per 100 people, Canada has the thirteenth highest rate of gun ownership in the world.

The British government is expected announce a further withdrawal of U.K. troops from Afghanistan, effectively halving its forces in the country by the end of next summer.

Users of Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 I535 can try their hands on the latest Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean using custom firmware LiquidSmooth ROM, which is based on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean AOSP.

Three more health workers were killed Wednesday in Pakistan when unidentified gunmen a attacked polio vaccine administration camp, in a fresh wave of violence against the U.N.-backed vaccination drive, taking total death toll to eight. The U.N. said it is cancelling a three-day vaccination drive following the bloodshed.

Leadership and management deficiencies within the State Department were blamed for the inadequate security measures at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, which came under attack on Sept. 11, leading to the deaths of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans.

The U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open Wednesday ahead of the Census Bureau’s data on housing starts and building permits.

Asian stock markets advanced Wednesday on hopes that the U.S. lawmakers will soon arrive at a consensus to avoid the "fiscal cliff” and the Japanese Central Bank will add to economic stimulus buoyed sentiment.

The National Rifle Association's Facebook and Twitter pages went back online Tuesday evening at the conclusion of a day marked by a slew media reports criticizing the NRA for going dark on social media and failing to address the Newtown, Conn., massacre last Friday that left 20 students, six adults and the shooter, Adam Lanza dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Switzerland's UBS is set to pay the second-largest fine ever levied on a bank Wednesday when it admits that a group of its traders rigged Libor interest rates, Reuters reports.

Megan Fox says she worried she was having a vampire baby during her pregnancy.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's most popular soccer player, according to Twitter, where he is fast approaching 15 million followers. On Tuesday, the hashtag #Celebrate15m rose high Tuesday on both the United States and international Twitter trending topics list.

James Franco says he tried to help his friend Lindsay Lohan, but was unable keep her out of trouble.

“Scarface” actor Steven Bauer was arrested Monday night in Miami on allegations of driving with a suspended license.

The National Rifle Association sent out a short message Tuesday, marking the NRA's first official statement since a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., left 20 children, six adults and the 20-year-old shooter, Adam Lanza, dead.

Mick Mountz, the founder and CEO of Boston-based Kiva Systems, shares his experience in starting a hardware company and offers tips for others looking to break into the scene.