Jack E Bippus

Off to college? It can be a bit scary, especially if you don't know anyone at the school you plan to attend. Still, take heart; things could be worse. Girls and boys of the Okiek tribe of Kenya are ritually circumcised or excised when they're 14-16 years old. They then cover themselves in clay and

The volume of retail sales in the euro zone rose for the second straight month in June, although that is unlikely to continue in the face of rising unemployment and weakening consumer confidence.

Natural gas output at Russian producer OAO Novatek (NVTK.RS) could increase by 7%-11% in this year, Interfax quoted the company's chief executive as saying Friday.

Cnooc Ltd. (CEO), China's largest offshore oil producer, said Friday that its Yacheng 13-4 natural gas field has begun production and will reach peak output of 0.35 billion cubic meters a year by 2013.

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG.LN) Friday said it expects to make a loss in 2012 as the Spanish economic situation worsens though trading conditions at British Airways remained firm and the integration of regional carrier bmi remains on track.

The volume of retail sales in the euro zone rose for the second straight month in June, although that is unlikely to continue in the face of rising unemployment and weakening consumer confidence.

Retail sales volume in the 17-nation euro zone saw a 0.1% monthly rise in June but fell 1.2% compared to the same month last year, European Union statistics agency Eurostat reported Friday.

Britain's service sector grew at its slowest pace in 19 months in July, according to the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index released Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron about the shareholder conflict at Anglo-Russian crude producer TNK-BP (TNBP.RS) at a meeting in London Thursday, according to Putin's website.