State television says Assad’s forces are "cleansing the terrorist filth" from the country, which has been sucked into a sectarian conflict.
The spacecraft and its systems are functioning flawlessly, and forecasts predict favourable Martian weather over the landing zone.
Rebel commander in Aleppo said he expected a Syrian army attack on rebels "within days".
The Waikato Chiefs powered to their first ever Super Rugby title on Saturday with a sparkling 37-6 win over the Sharks in Hamilton.
The woman who gatecrashed India’s parade at the Olympic opening ceremony has apologised for her "error of judgment".
Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan is stepping down as the UN-Arab League mediator in the 17-month-old Syria conflict at the end of the month.
Writer Gore Vidal, who filled his intellectual works with acerbic observations on politics, sex and American culture, has died in LA at the age of 86.
The most prolific giant panda in captivity outside of China, Bai Yun, has proved her mettle again with the delivery of her sixth cub in San Diego.
Britain’s much-maligned public transport system coped with an unusually quiet early rush hour on the first full working day of the Olympics.
Gill Marcus has stated that further easing on interest rates can’t be taken for granted, and are contingent on inflation and global conditions.