A city financial officer in small Illinois city has been sentenced to almost 20 years in prison for stealing $53m (£34m) over two decades.

The Oscar-winning visual effects pioneer Petro Vlahos - who pioneered blue and green-screen techniques used by thousands of movies - dies aged 96.

A funeral is held in Tehran for Gen Hassan Shateri, a commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard recently killed while travelling from Syria to Lebanon.

A study shows that chimps formerly used in research labs can be treated with anti-depressants to help them overcome their trauma.

Police identify the charred body found in a mountain cabin after a police gun fight as a fugitive former Los Angeles police officer accused of murder.

Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, postpones the release of three hostages, reportedly blaming the move on the media presence in the area.

An ex-mayor of San Diego agrees to repay millions of dollars she stole from her late husband's charity to fuel a gambling addiction, prosecutors say.

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is due in court to face a charge of murdering his girlfriend at his home near Pretoria.