1. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the U.S. and its allies are close to beating al-Qaeda. He was in Afghanistan today, and says the raid that killed Osama bin Laden has yielded new insights about the group’s other leaders.

 

2. There’s a new country in the world. South Sudan is officially an independent nation now. Officials raised the new flag and swore in the new president in a massive celebration.

 

3. The London tabloid the News of the World is putting together its last edition. The paper is at the heart of a hacking scandal and has decided to shut down. The News of the World had been published for 168 years.

 

4. Derek Jeter has reached a lofty plateau. The Yankee shortstop homered today to reach 3000 hits for his career. He is the 28th big leaguer to reach the mark and the fist Yankee to do so.