President Barack Obama orders a trade ban with Crimea, to show the US "will not accept Russia's occupation" of the Ukrainian region.

Israel launches an air strike on an alleged Hamas site in Gaza, in the first such action since the declaration of a truce in August.

Colombia's Farc rebels have killed five soldiers in an ambush, the army says, hours before they are due to start an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire.

Voters in Liberia are set to go to the polls in an election that was postponed because of the Ebola outbreak, with ex-footballer George Weah facing the president's son.

Sony Pictures says it is looking at alternative ways to release film satire The Interview, cancelled in the wake of a cyber-attack.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Macau for the 15th anniversary of the territory's return to Chinese rule, reaffirming it is part of "one China".

North Korea urges a joint inquiry with the US into a cyber-attack on Sony that led to the studio cancelling the release of the film The Interview.

Pakistan army kills five militants in northwest as security is tightened against possible Taliban reprisals for prisoner executions, officials say.