Two dozen Tibetans have set themselves on fire in western China this month in a dramatic acceleration of the protests against authoritarian Chinese rule, activist groups say.

The surge in self-immolations, along with an increase in large demonstrations, mark a new phase in the Tibetan protests.

Rare letters written by Vincent van Gogh, John Lennon and other iconic figures are being offered at an upcoming auction of more than 300 historical documents in New York City.

The property of an anonymous U.S. collector is being offered by Profiles in History in an online and phone auction Dec. 18.

Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas will be the Williams team's drivers for the 2013 Formula One season.

Bottas has been promoted from reserve driver for the past two seasons and will take the place of Bruno Senna, the team announced Wednesday.

Even when it comes to basketball, no one in Lebanon seems to forget who worships in a mosque and who prays in a church.

Only three weeks after it started, the country's basketball league was postponed indefinitely as Beirut's two rival teams — one backed by Christian politicians, the other by Muslims — fight over who has control of Lebanon's most popular game.

She was dissed on "The Bachelor" and came in third place during her first stint on "Dancing With the Stars," but Melissa Rycroft is now a winner.

The reality TV star and her professional dance partner, Tony Dovolani, were named the champions Tuesday on ABC TV's "Dancing With the Stars: All Stars."

The Philadelphia 76ers held on in a nervous finish to edge the Dallas Mavericks 100-98 on Tuesday and move within one game of the lead in the NBA's Atlantic Division.

The Sixers finally created some space in a back-and-forth game when they broke a tie with a 10-0 run midway through the fourth, only for the Mavericks to fight their way back.

Real Madrid eased into the fifth round of the Copa del Rey with a 3-0 win over 10-man Alcoyano on Tuesday and a 7-1 victory on aggregate over the third-division side.

Argentina forward Angel di Maria ran onto a perfectly-timed pass from fellow substitute Karim Benzema to open the scoring in the 72nd minute. Alcoyano's Javi Selvas was sent off a minute later for arguing with the referee about an offside decision, earning him his second yellow card of the game.

Harry Redknapp's first match in charge of Queens Park Rangers ended in a dour 0-0 draw at Sunderland, underlining the size of the task facing the former Tottenham manager at the Premier League's last-place team.

QPR remains without a victory after 14 games but is now four points adrift at the foot of the standings after second-bottom Reading lost 1-0 at Aston Villa in another match between two of the division's strugglers.

Lazio moved back within striking distance of third place and the final Champions League place with a convincing 3-0 win over Udinese in the Italian league on Tuesday.

Alvaro Gonzalez gave the Rome club the lead in the 17th minute after being set up nicely by Stefano Mauri, who also provided the key pass for Miroslav Klose's goal in the 31st, leaving the German with only the goalkeeper to beat. Hernanes then put the result beyond doubt in the 59th with a curving free kick over Udinese's wall.

Bomb threats to 30 courthouses and other government buildings across the U.S. state of Tennessee forced many to be evacuated Tuesday, including the federal building in Memphis, but authorities said no explosives were found.

Tennessee became the fourth state to deal with similar bomb hoaxes. One targeted 28 courthouses in Oregon and similar threats were reported in Nebraska and Washington this month.