Forces loyal to incumbent Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo begin attacking UN vehicles in Abidjan, according to the UN.

Haiti marks the anniversary of the powerful earthquake that killed 250,000 people and devastated much of the country.

Rescuers are trying to find survivors in cut-off areas of south-eastern Brazil hit by deadly floods that have left at least 470 people dead.

Maritime piracy costs the global economy between $7bn and $12bn a year, a report by UK think-tank Chatham House says.

A US court sentences a militant from Guyana to 15 years in jail for taking part in a plot to blow up fuel tanks at New York's JFK airport.

Thieves in Argentina steal $90,000 in cash meant for use during a Middle East trip by President Cristina Fernandez.

Australia's third largest city, Brisbane, starts to clear away mud and debris as floodwaters begin to recede.

Foreign diplomats complain to the US government about the decision by several US banks to end services for diplomatic missions.