Vittorio Hernandez

Former Menudo star Ricky Martin hinted that he wants to wed his long-time partner Carlos Gonzalez in Spain. Martin got his Spanish citizenship in 2011, but at that time he said he had no specific location yet for his planned wedding, but it would be in Europe.

A California man who rented a DVD of Smurfs 2 from Redbox at a Walmart on Tuesday wanted to watch the cartoon together with his kids. However, what he got were images of women in bikinis and porn.

December hasn't been very kind for investors so far, however local stocks are moving higher at lunchtime in the East, following a positive offshore lead.

As the global markets continue to look towards Thursday morning's announcement from the FOMC, Australian investors will be watching two very interesting public policy papers that are released today.

In US economic news, industrial production rose by 1.1% in November ahead of market forecasts centred on a 0.5% gain. The Markit ´´flash´´ manufacturing gauge eased from 54.7 to 54.4 in December, short of the 55.0 forecast. The Empire State manufacturing index lifted from minus 2.21 to +0.98 in December, but this was short of the +4.75 forecast. And overall net capital inflows to the US totalled US$194.9 billion in October compared with outflows of US$106.8 billion in September.

A piglet with unique physical features was born in China's Jiangxi Province on Dec 9, the Chinese news Web site jxnews.com.cn reported on Tuesday. The animal has three eyes, two noses and two snouts.

Canadians, including owners of massage parlors, are waiting for the landmark decision of the Canadian Supreme Court on Friday on the validity of the country's current anti-prostitution law.

Like Australia which has benefitted from the mining boom, Canada is also going heavily into the resources sector, but similar to the situation of the Land Down Under, Canada too is suffering from skilled labour shortage.

The Santa Claus rally is looking like more and more of a dream, with the Australian share market back in the red today despite Friday's gains.

Despite being almost a year old, the game-changing HTC One smartphone continues to impress the world of technology, prompting ZDNet's Matthew Miller to name the device the top smartphone of 2013.

Sellers had a breather on Friday. Although they have returned refreshed an invigorated on Monday. The Market sank by 39 points in early trade, a harbinger of the volatility that could be in store ahead of the Fed's FOMC mid week.

With eight days to Christmas and only six and a half trading days left of 2013, you would hope trade would be settling down as investors set and forget, and put their feet up and enjoy a summer holiday. However, this looks to be wishful thinking; the week ahead is packed full with market-moving material.

In US economic news, producer prices fell by 0.1% in November with the core rate (excludes food and energy) up 0.1%. The core rate was in line with expectations.

If men had been enjoying Viagra and other male erection enhancement drugs for almost 20 years, flibanserin, the equivalent of the sex enhancement drug for women, has suffered from another impasse with the regulator, the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

Biosecurity officials of New Zealand seized from a man who came from Vietnam two kilogrammes of rooster testicles which he intended to eat. The man declared them upon arrival at the Auckland International Airport.

The publication by IBT Australia of a study on the effect of circumcision on male sexual fulfillment elicited an email from a reader named Peter Spencer, who sent it via his email peterspencer@me.com, alleging that the basis of the article is a fake research by a man with close ties to child abusers and paedophiles.

The year 2013 would go down in Australia's history as the year when the Land Down Under had three prime minister.

The community of Aliquippa in Pennsylvania is still in shock amid reports that an 18-year-old teen raped an elderly nun from the Sisters of St Joseph in Baden. Reports are conflicting regarding her age. 7 News said she is 85, while Daily Mail said she is 70.

The Australian share market snapped its longest losing streak in 17 months today, rising for the first time in seven sessions despite a weak offshore lead.

The Fed meeting next week looms as the last market catalyst for 2013. The better economic news from the US has improved the odds, in the markets eyes at least, that the US central bank will taper Q.E this year. As A result bond yields have risen and stocks have fallen in the last 24 hours. At lunchtime on Friday an uneasy equilibrium was in place after sellers attempted to further their argument for a 7th consecutive session in early trade. At its worst levels the ASX 200 was at a 15 point defic...

Southwest Airlines passengers could now enjoy texting service through the air carrier's gate-to-gate text messaging on its Wi-Fi-installed aircraft. So far, only those using Apple iOS 5-powered iPhones could enjoy the service for $2.

With the prospect of tapering only days to weeks away the effect on the global is starting to ramp up.

In US economic news, retail sales rose by 0.7%, ahead of forecasts for a gain of 0.6%. Excluding gasoline and autos, sales rose 0.6%. Import prices fell 0.6% in November while export prices rose 0.1%. And claims for unemployment benefits rose by 68,000 to 368,000, well ahead of forecasts for a rise to 320,000. The Labor Department said that a late Thanksgiving affected seasonal adjustment of the data.

With Christmas Day fast approaching, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford appears to be in a reconciliatory mood as he invited media and members of the city council to his mum's house in Etobicoke for the Ford annual Christmas party on Wednesday, Dec 11.

Economic forecaster Deloitte is not limited to projecting GNPs and inflation and unemployment rates, but has also forayed into technology predictions.

With Australia rejecting same-sex marriage and India banning consensual gay sex, nobody needs more gay jokes. Thus, a dollar store in Manitoba, Canada, had to pull out a gag gift that claims to cure homosexuality.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) rolled out on Thursday its tap-and-go service for mobile phone that would deliver users a next-generation shopping experience and makes paying for everyday goods and services simpler, making signatures or PINs unnecessary.

Oil and gas giant Chevron is blaming the high labour cost, logistical challenges on its remote sites and delays caused by weather as the main reasons why its Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia is on a second cost blowout.

The Australian share market closed in the red for a sixth consecutive session today, weighed down by a weak offshore lead and downbeat day across the Asian region.