Ukraine is to mark its independence day with a large military parade in Kiev, as fighting in the east rages around the city of Donetsk.

Thousands of demonstrators march peacefully through New York's Staten Island in protest at the chokehold death of a black man by a white policeman.

A stray dog was rescued from a busy Los Angeles highway after motorists worked together to capture the animal.

More than 300 Jewish survivors and descendants of survivors of the Holocaust condemn Israel's "genocide" of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 has shaken northern California, says the US Geological Survey, but no serious injuries are reported.

Iraqi forces say they have defeated a suspected Islamic State attack on the country's largest oil refinery.

Pro-Russian rebels parade captured Ukrainian soldiers in the city of Donetsk, as Ukraine's president announces a major boost in military spending.

Islamist militias in Libya challenge the legitimacy of the new parliament after announcing their seizure of Tripoli airport.