Western officials express growing fears for tens of thousands of civilians caught in fierce fighting in Libya's remaining pro-Gaddafi strongholds.

Iraq makes the first payment in a deal to buy 18 US F-16 fighter jets which officials say is aimed at securing air sovereignty after US troops leave.

The US, EU, France, Britain and Sweden express their disappointment as Israel approves the construction of 1,100 homes in the Jewish settlement of Gilo.

Convicted killer George Wright, on the run from US justice for more than 40 years, is arrested in Portugal, the FBI says.

Director Roman Polanski returns to Zurich to receive an award he was prevented from collecting two years ago, when he was held on US extradition warrant.

Nigeria and its West African neighbour, Benin, are to begin joint naval patrols to combat an increased number of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.

European states propose a new UN resolution on Syria that drops demands for immediate sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Wilson Greatbatch, the engineer who invented the implantable pacemaker dies in Buffalo, New York , aged 92, with more than 150 patents to his name.