China early on Sunday morning successfully launched its eighth orbiter which will form part of its indigenous satellite-navigation and -positioning network.

A hotel used by the internationally recognised president of Ivory Coast has come under attack by forces loyal to his rival Laurent Gbagbo, reports say.

Dutch officials say a gunman opened fire at a mall on Saturday, killing seven people and wounding 16 others before shooting himself in the head.

President Barack Obama signed a short-term funding extension on Saturday hours after Democrats and Republicans narrowly averted a partial shutdown of the federal government by agreeing on the measure and a budget deal.

Japan's government has lifted restrictions on vegetables and milk from some parts of the country's north after inspections found radiation levels below legal limits for three straight weeks, a top government official announced Friday.

Forces loyal to Ivory Coast's incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo have gained ground in Abidjan, the UN says.

Eleven Palestinians, including three civilians, have been killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza, doctors say.

An Israeli air strike killed two Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip on April 8, the Islamist group said, as a spike in cross-border violence continued for a second day. The Israeli military said it was checking the report.

Libyan rebels said five of their fighters were killed when NATO planes mistakenly bombed a rebel tank column and a top US general said they were unlikely to be able to oust Muammar Gaddafi by force.  

Ivory Coast's internationally recognised President Alassane Ouattara has urged the EU to lift sanctions, in a bid to restart the ailing economy.