Russia struck Ukraine's capital Kyiv with missiles early on Sunday for the first time in more than a month, while Ukrainian officials said a counter-attack on the main battlefield in the east had retaken half of the city of Sievierodonetsk.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un has promised more missile flights over Japan, insisting his nuclear-armed nation's provocative launch was a mere "curtain-raiser", in the face of UN condemnation and US warnings of severe repercussions.

Russia strengthens its anti-aircraft defences in Syria by moving a cruiser closer to the coast and deploying new missiles at an air base.

30 militants allied to the Pakistani Taliban have been killed by Pakistani jet fighters in a missile attack in the mountainous northwestern of Khyber.