Willy Wonka star Gene Wilder dies

Gene Wilder, whose wild curls and startling blue eyes brought a frantic air to roles in the movies Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, died on Monday at the age of 83, his family said.

Internet star sings of cat and My Trousers

Mobbed by fans wherever he goes, Adel Meshoukhi is the kind of singer that perhaps only Gaza could produce: an internet sensation who depends on a modest stipend from Hamas.

Freak lightning storm kills over 300 reindeer

A freak lightning storm has killed 323 reindeer in a remote mountainous area of Norway, officials said on Monday.

'Strong signal' stirs interest in hunt for alien life

A "strong signal" detected by a radio telescope in Russia that is scanning the heavens for signs of extraterrestrial life has stirred interest among the scientific community.

Zika cases in Singapore rise

Singapore confirmed 15 new cases of locally-transmitted Zika infections on Monday, taking the tally to 56 as authorities step up efforts to contain the outbreak.

Strong typhoon slams northeastern Japan

A strong typhoon slammed into northeastern Japan on Tuesday, dumping heavy rain and generating high waves that caused flooding along the Pacific coast.

IS buried thousands in 72 mass graves

Surrounded by smoke and flames, the sound of gunshots echoing around him, the young man crouched in the creek for hours, listening to the men in his family die.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Dog tags of WWII found on beach in '66 returned

It took 50 years for a Long Island woman to finally complete her quest to return a World War II veteran's lost dog tags she found on a New York City beach.

Everybody hurts: Russian radio airs from psychiatric hospital

A radio show broadcast live from a Moscow psychiatric hospital every Saturday kicks off with a jokey jingle - "Radio Through the Looking Glass, it's nuts!"

Greece strives to preserve underwater antiquities

Lacking funds partly because of the debt crisis, Greece, which is rich in underwater antiquities, is now working closely with archaeological groups from other countries to explore, preserve and display the treasure trove.

Drones meet drought in skies of storied farmland

A drone whirred to life in a cloud of dust, then shot hundreds of feet skyward for a bird's-eye view of a vast tomato field in California's Central Valley, the nation's most productive farming region.