South Korea's botched attempt to restore a burned-out national treasure to its 600-year old glory has triggered a bout of national hand-wringing over cultural mismanagement and the loss of traditional skills.

The destruction of the 14th century Namdaemun Gate in an arson attack in February 2008 was viewed as a national tragedy.

A triptych by British painter Francis Bacon -- "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" -- sold for $142.4 million on Tuesday, smashing the world record for the most expensive piece of art auctioned.

The work by the 20th century figurative artist, who lived from 1909 to 1992, had never before been put under the hammer until Christie's flagship evening sale. It was bought by a New York gallery.

"End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy" (William Morrow), by James Swanson

Questions remain and conspiracy theories abound 50 years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Author James Swanson takes readers on a minute-by-minute account of that fateful day in Dallas in "End of Days."

Bowing to pressure from Jewish groups and art experts, the German government made public details of paintings in a recovered trove of some 1,400 pieces of art, many of which may have been stolen by the Nazis, and said it would put together a task force to speed identification.

The German government said in a written statement that about 590 of the pieces could have been stolen by the Nazis. In a surprise move, it quickly featured some 25 of those works on the website www.lostart.de and said it would be regularly updated.

Officials in Warsaw on Monday halted a march by ultra-nationalists after they clashed with police, violently disrupting celebrations marking Poland's independence day.

Police said four officers were hospitalized after rioters set alight two cars and a guard's booth in front of the Russian embassy, Poland's Soviet-era master.

On a crisp cool autumn day in inner-city Baltimore, Yusuf "BJ" Abdullah guides his colorful horse-drawn produce cart into Orchard Street and Jerry "Lawlaw" Powell raises his voice to rustle up some customers.

"You can't hold us down! We've got the best fruit around! Comin' to your block! All over town!" hollers Powell, knocking on the doors of the brick row houses as Abdullah bags some mangos and grapes for a passer-by.

China's richest man is under fire after his company spent $28 million on a painting by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, with people questioning the extravagant purchase and his patriotism.

Tycoon Wang Jianlin's Wanda Group bought the 1950 painting "Claude and Paloma", depicting Picasso's two youngest children, at auction last week for more than double the high estimate of $12 million.

It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church. Several hundred people attended more than an hour of rousing music, an inspirational sermon, a reading and some quiet reflection. The only thing missing was God.

Nearly three dozen gatherings nicknamed "atheist mega-churches" by supporters and detractors have sprung up around the U.S. and Australia — with more to come — after finding success in Great Britain earlier this year.

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese students are flocking to U.S. colleges and universities, helping to push the number of international students studying in America to record levels.

The number of American students studying abroad also has hit an all-time high.

President Michel Suleiman honored Lebanese-French author Amin Maalouf at a ceremony held at Baabda Palace on Saturday.

Suleiman granted him the National Order of the Cedar medal with the Rank of Grand Cordon, and said a new stamp emblazoned with Maalouf's face will be issued soon.