Rebel stronghold recaptured

Kiev hails victory as start of turning point; insurgents regroup to fight back

Castro: Cuban economic changes must be gradual

Cuban President Raul Castro reiterated on Saturday that Cuba's program of reforms will remain cautious and gradual, despite recent disappointing GDP numbers that show the country's already-struggling economy slowing.

'Caliph' demands obedience in video

Iraq analyzing tape purported to show top militant

Gunmen kill at least 29 on Kenyan coast

At least 29 people were killed in overnight attacks by gunmen in two counties on the Kenyan coast, where al-Qaida-linked militants last month claimed responsibility for killing 65 people.

Australia urged to end shark cull

Hundreds of the world's top marine scientists have called for Western Australia to ditch its shark cull policy, arguing there is no evidence that it makes beaches safer, a report said on Friday.

Batman celebrates 75th birthday

Ker-pow! Batman is celebrating his 75th birthday this month with a series of comic-book, video-game and other events putting Gotham's famed Caped Crusader firmly back in the spotlight.

Rolf Harris sentenced for sex assaults

Television star Rolf Harris, a household name in Britain and Australia for a half century, was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison for sexual abuse of young girls.

Hurricane Arthur makes landfall in North Carolina's Outer Banks

The first hurricane of the Atlantic season has hit the North Carolina coast, a wet and windy spoiler of the July 4th holiday for thousands of US citizens as authorities ordered them to evacuate exposed areas.

Ukraine shakes up top brass to crush rebels

Ukraine shook up its beleaguered army's top brass as clashes raged in the separatist east despite mounting US and German pressure on Russia to force the rebels to halt fire.

Kurdish official cool to Israeli support for independence

A Kurdish diplomat has played down the significance of Israeli advocacy of independence for her people, saying this was not coordinated with the autonomous Kurdish government in Iraq and may be intended to served Israel's interests.

IN BRIEF (Page 7)

Japan to ease some sanctions on DPRK

Japan took a tentative step toward improved relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Friday by agreeing to lift some of its sanctions, as Pyongyang announced the details of a new probe into the fate of at least a dozen Japanese believed to have been abducted by DPRK agents decades ago.