Reuters: Top Global and Breaking News

[emirate]

HAVANA (Reuters) - Fidel Castro said Cuba's economic model no longer works, a U.S.-based journalist reported on Wednesday following interviews with the former president last week.

Fidel Castro says Cuban model no longer works

[emirate]

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's capital is ready for its biggest political event in decades: giant billboards proclaim an event to make the country's "history shine forever," the dress rehearsals are complete and the army is ready.

Mysterious N.Korea keeps world guessing on rare meeting

[emirate]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen stormed the house of a Sunni cleric Thursday and cut his head off before setting him alight in an attack that bore the hallmark of insurgents, a police spokesman said.

Gunmen behead, set alight Sunni cleric in Iraq

[emirate]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will soon release Sarah Shourd, one of three detained American citizens accused of espionage, an Iranian official at the United Nations told Reuters Thursday.

Iran says it will free U.S. detainee Sarah Shourd

[emirate]

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A set of U.N. goals aimed at drastically reducing poverty and hunger worldwide by 2015 are achievable, despite setbacks caused by the global financial and economic crises, a draft document said.

U.N. goals to slash poverty, hunger achievable: draft

[emirate]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday named a member of his inner circle as top White House economist and gave a strong personal endorsement to a leading candidate to run his new consumer protection bureau.

Obama taps Goolsbee as top White House economist

[emirate]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military rule banning openly gay people from serving in the armed forces violates constitutional rights to free speech and due process, a federal judge in southern California ruled Thursday.

Judge rules ban on gays in military unconstitutional

[emirate]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama accused Republicans on Friday of holding the middle class hostage and defended his efforts to stimulate the sluggish economy as he tries to reverse grim election prospects for his fellow Democrats in November.

Obama says Republicans holding recovery hostage

[emirate]

MEHMOOD KOT, Pakistan (Reuters) - Having offered Eid prayers on Saturday in a tiny, shattered mosque, Mohammad Sadiq is firmer in his faith and determined to rebuild his life and home devastated by Pakistan's worst floods in memory.

Flood-hit Pakistanis celebrate Eid amid hopes

[emirate]

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States would be ready to resume six-party talks on North Korea if Pyongyang showed "concrete indications" it would try to implement a 2005 nuclear disarmament deal, the U.S. No. 2 diplomat said on Saturday.

North Korea talks need "meaningful way forward": U.S.