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While the proportion of the world's population that smokes has shrunk, the total number of smokers on the earth continues to rise. In 2012, nearly a billion people smoked daily, compared with 721 million in 1980.

Four crew members were rescued after the giant MH-53E Sea Dragon went down about 18 miles east of Cape Henry, Va.

The former NBA star leads a public rendition of the song for the North Korean leader, whom he describes as his "best friend for life."

According to Russian journalist Masha Gessen, the 2012 arrests were the start of a campaign by Vladimir Putin and his supporters against government critics. Gessen, who is also an LGBT rights advocate, recently moved to New York with her partner and their children in response to the anti-gay laws Russia passed in June.

Scientists have engineered a natural adhesive that can patch a hole in a pig's heart. The experimental glue is nontoxic, dissolves in the body and withstands high pressure inside a beating heart. But there's still a long way to go before the superglue could replace sutures in the operating room or on the battlefield.

The U.S. government's official measure of poverty hasn't changed much in 50 years: It's still based on what it took to feed a family in the 1950s. There are new efforts underway to find a more accurate gauge of families in need.

The diplomatic dispute between the U.S. and India over allegations of visa fraud continued on Wednesday. U.S. prosecutors plan to indict an Indian diplomat on charges that she lied on a visa application for her domestic servant; the diplomat denies the allegations. The Indian government has objected to the way the matter has been handled and has introduced a number of restrictions on the activities of U.S. diplomats in India.

Sue Monk Kidd, the author of the best-selling The Secret Life of Bees, takes on both slavery and feminism in her novel The Invention of Wings. It's a story told by two women: Hetty, a slave, seeks her freedom, while Sarah, her reluctant owner, rebels against her family to become an abolitionist.

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas are the Baseball Hall of Fame's newest inductees. Last year, baseball writers pointedly left some of the biggest stars off the list due to links with performance-enhancing drugs, and this year has been no different. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were again denied induction.

Macy's Inc. announced Wednesday that it is cutting 2,500 jobs as part of a reorganization. Other workers will be reassigned or transferred. The Cincinnati-based retailer also announced it will close five stores.