At least a quarter of a million Israelis stage mass protests across the country, demanding government action over the rising cost of living.

Charles Graner, ringleader of the US military guards who photographed their abuse of inmates at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail, is released from prison.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to "immediately end" the use of troops against civilian protesters.

Finance chiefs from major powers are to hold emergency talks on ways to contain the twin debt crises in the US and the eurozone, reports say.

Scores of tanks and armoured vehicles launch an assault on the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zour, rights activists say, as a government crackdown escalates.

Chinese artist and government critic Ai Weiwei returns to Twitter after a jail term despite a ban on him speaking publicly.

About 45,000 workers at Verizon Communications have gone on strike after failing to reach agreement on new contracts, unions say.

The US tries to confirm whether Taliban fire brought down a special forces helicopter with the loss of 38 lives, as four more Nato soldiers die in Afghanistan.