North Korea fires rockets during a military exercise in January 2009. North Korea has test-fired seven missiles off its east coast in what appeared to be a calculated message of defiance timed for the US Independence Day holiday.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is seen here at a hotel in Yangon, following his arrival in Myanmar. Ban said he was "deeply disappointed" after the chief of Myanmar's military junta on Saturday refused to let him meet pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

A village elder speaks with Ingush police in Nizhny Alkun. Ten Chechen police were killed when militants fired on their convoy in the Russian region of Ingushetia, one of the deadliest recent attacks in the increasingly volatile Caucasus.

In a surprise move, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, seen here in 2008, said Friday she was stepping down and would not seek re-election, fuelling swift speculation of a possible 2012 White House bid.