Al-Qaeda militants tell a Mauritanian news agency they have killed French hostage Philippe Verdon, because of France's intervention in Mali.

Barack Obama heads to Israel for his first trip there as president, amid a stalled peace process and anxiety over Syria and Iran.

A South African police officer accuses a colleague of shooting a wounded miner during last year's strikes at the Marikana mine, an inquiry hears.

Eighteen miners are trapped underground at a copper mine in western Poland, after an earthquake caused a tunnel to collapse.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warns Cyprus that its banks may never be able to reopen, after its parliament rejected a bailout deal.

Five federal ministers belonging to a former ally of India's ruling coalition are to resign, a day after their party pulled out of the government.

'Marmageddon' over as New Zealand shops restock locally-made Marmite, after shortages caused by the Christchurch quake in 2011.

David Beckham is in Beijing to begin his new role as a special ambassador for Chinese football.