Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez unveils a 3-D reconstruction of the face of Simon Bolivar, the South American liberation hero who died in 1830.

The ruling that upheld the Obama health law will save the government $84bn (£54bn), but mean less coverage for millions of poor people, US auditors say.

Syrian pro-government forces launch a counter-attack after rebels seize parts of Aleppo, and a former Assad aide confirms he has defected.

Cameras will be banned from next week's hearing when the suspect in the Colorado cinema shooting is to be formally charged, a judge rules.

Japan's exports dip in June, the first drop in four months, as slowdown in key markets including Europe and China, hurts demand.

Sherman Hemsley, who starred as a wise-cracking black businessman in the hit 1970s US sitcom The Jeffersons, dies at the age of 74.

Greenland's massive ice sheet has melted over an unusually large area this summer, Nasa says, describing it as an "extraordinary" phenomenon.

The first sporting event of the 2012 Olympics is to kick off later with women's football in Cardiff, two days before the official opening ceremony.