Ukrainian forces have claimed their first successes in a long-anticipated counteroffensive, as they recaptured three villages from Russian forces in the southeast of the country on Sunday. On Monday, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar further posted a photo showing soldiers hoisting the Ukrainian flag at what she said was the village of Storozheve in Donetsk, and thanked the 35th Separate Brigade of Marines for liberating it. Reuters could not verify the report and it was not immediately clear when the village was reclaimed, but if confirmed it would mean the first week of its pushback against Moscow ended in tangible territorial gains for Ukraine. Unverified footage further showed Kyiv’s forces hoisting the Ukrainian flag at a building in the village of Blahodatne in Donetsk region and posing with their unit’s flag in the adjacent village of Neskuchne. The troops also reportedly retook Makarivka, the next village to the south. The long-expected counteroffensive was indirectly confirmed by Vladimir Putin on Friday, who said that a Ukrainian military push was underway, but had failed to breach Russian defensive lines and taken heavy casualties. Read More Ukraine claims first successes of counteroffensive as it recaptures three villages Ukraine's dam collapse is both a fast-moving disaster and a slow-moving ecological catastrophe Musician Travis Leake spoke up about freedom of speech in Russia with Anthony Bourdain in 2014. Now he’s been detained

One person is in police custody after at least seven people were wounded in a shooting at a Wichita, Kansas, nightclub overnight, Wichita Police said Sunday.

'I jumped on it, grabbed its head, then the thing went nuts and it turned into a wrestling match,' said Jack Cronin

A former NFL player is missing after his mother was found dead in a creek behind her home in Illinois. Mystery erupted around Sergio Brown on Saturday after a concerned family member filed a missing persons report for the 35-year-old New England Patriots alum and his mother Myrtle Brown, 73. Myrtle was found dead less than 100 yards from her Maywood home the following day. Her death was ruled a homicide as the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office found injuries resulting from an assault. The case took a bizarre turn on Monday as video emerged from an Instagram account linked to Mr Brown, Fox32 reported. In the video, a man identified as Mr Brown claims he’s been kidnapped by law enforcement as he goes on a long-winded rant against “fake news” and the FBI. He also claims that he thought his mother was on vacation. The Independent has not been able to independently verify that the account belongs to Mr Brown. Police have not commented on the video. Read More Missing ex-NFL star posts bizarre Instagram about police and FBI after mother found dead in creek Ex-NFL star Sergio Brown and his mother went missing. Police say she was murdered and he has yet to be found

Abortion is among the fault lines in the 2024 Republican campaign, and a likely debate topic in Wednesday's first primary season showdown between Republican candidates -- all of whom support abortion restrictions.

Armenia and Azerbaijan on Thursday blamed each other for an exchange of fire along their restive border, which killed one person and wounded four days...

Michael Milmerstadt died due to a brain injury in March and his family donated his organs to save the lives of others

As backlash to Florida's new Black history education standards grows, teachers say they are struggling to navigate what they can and cannot say inside their classrooms, while some parents are turning to alternative methods to educate their children about Black history.

Authorities in Mexico are searching for a man who they say intentionally set a bar on fire after being kicked out, killing 11 people overnight near the Arizona border in the Mexican state of Sonora.

At least ten people are dead and one still trapped following the collapse of a middle school gymnasium roof in China's northeastern city of Qiqihar Sunday afternoon, Chinese state media CCTV reported.

Vatican Museum restorers are working to remove centuries of grime from the largest known bronze statue of the ancient world: the gilded Hercules Mastai Righetti

Iceland’s prime minister and women across the island nation are on strike to push for an end to unequal pay and gender-based violence