Shares in the US and elsewhere are boosted by the news that former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has withdrawn his candidacy to be head of the US central bank.

A video released by al-Qaeda's North African arm appears to show seven foreigners taken hostage in west Africa are still alive.

Italian side Genoa suspend a youth-team coach after he was caught in bushes spying on rivals Sampdoria ahead of a derby meeting.

Engineers in Italy manage to set the capsized ship Costa Concordia upright, 20 months after it ran aground off the island of Giglio.

The US, UK and France insist a UN report on chemical weapons use in Damascus backs their claim Syria was to blame, but Russia disputes this.

Nicaragua launches legal action against Colombia in the International Court of Justice, claiming potentially oil-rich areas in Caribbean waters.

Five youths are arrested in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam for allegedly gang-raping a 10-year-old girl, police say.

A Palestinian militant has been shot dead after clashes erupted during an attempt to arrest him in the West Bank city of Jenin.