A woman who attacked a painting by Paul Gauguin at the US National Gallery in Washington DC said the French artist was "evil", court records show.

Colombia launches an investigation into a military jail following reports of inmates being given lenient treatment despite being convicted of serious crimes.

Preliminary results in Haiti's presidential election show musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly, who has defeated ex-senator Mirlande Manigat.

A new crew for the International Space Station blast off from Russia's Baikonur space port in Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket.

Police find three more sets of human remains on a beach near New York City, bringing to eight the number of corpses found there.

Security forces in Mexico say a soldier and two suspected gunmen have been killed in a shoot-out at a shopping centre in the beach resort of Acapulco.

The Libyan government says it is open to political reform but Muammar Gaddafi must stay in power to avoid a new Iraq or Somalia.

Fighting in Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, takes a new turn with reports that entrenched ruler Laurent Gbagbo's residence has been captured.