A $5.5 billion upgrade to the Global Positioning System moved a step closer to launch this week when a prototype arrived at a Lockheed Martin complex in Colorado to begin months of tests.

It's the guinea pig for a new generation of GPS satellites, called Block III, that's expected to make military and civilian receivers more accurate, powerful and reliable.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic have been named ITF World Champions for 2011.

Djokovic won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open in a stellar year in which took over as the top-ranked men's player, finishing with a 70-6 overall record.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been voted the French player of the year by France Football magazine after scoring 32 goals in 56 matches for club and country in 2011.

Benzema, who scored crucial goals to help France qualify for next year's European Championship, won the magazine's vote ahead of Barcelona defender Eric Abidal and Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who was third.

Facebook is making it easier for people who express suicidal thoughts on the social networking site to get help.

A program launching Tuesday enables users to instantly connect with a crisis counselor from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline through Facebook's "chat" messaging system.

The glittering gems, fabulous clothes, accessories and memorabilia amassed by Elizabeth Taylor are up for sale — but any would-be buyers had better have some deep pockets.

Taylor's necklaces, earrings, pendants and rings with diamonds, sapphires and other gems will go on auction at Christie's auction house in New York City starting Tuesday. Among the high-profile items is a diamond bracelet given to the "National Velvet" and "Cleopatra" actress by Michael Jackson, with an estimated sale price of $30,000 to $50,000. A 33.19-carat diamond ring given to her by Richard Burton, whom she married twice, is estimated to sell for $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

A new documentary about Benito Mussolini examines the near cult-like fascination that many Italians had with the fascist dictator — and how his body became a focus for the fixation.

"Il Corpo Del Duce," ("The Duce's Corpse"), contains some gruesome, never-before-seen images of Mussolini's decayed corpse hanging upside down in a Milan square on April 29, 1945 after he was shot by anti-fascist partisans.

It appears a female has come between one of Canada's celebrity couples.

Toronto's zoo split up a pair of male penguins whose affection for each other drew headlines last month and jokes about "Brokeback Iceberg."

Beating Real Madrid 3-1 last weekend will make things easier on Barcelona as it bids for another title at the Club World Cup, defender Gerard Pique said Tuesday.

European champion Barcelona will face Qatari club Al-Sadd in the semifinals on Thursday, with the winner advancing to take on either South American champion Santos or J-League side Kashiwa Reysol.

A school bus taking primary students home slipped off a country road into an irrigation ditch in eastern China, killing 15 children and highlighting continuing safety problems in the country's school transport system following a similar tragedy last month.

Workers at a nearby factory heard cries for help and rushed to the overturned bus, broke open the windows and began pulling children out.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta arrived in Kabul on Tuesday to reaffirm America's commitment to Afghanistan as Washington starts to withdraw combat troops and hand over security to Afghan forces.

The Pentagon chief, who says violence is falling in the country where the United States has been at war with the Taliban for 10 years, is slated to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Defense Secretary Abdul Rahim Wardak.