At least 25 people were killed in flooding that hit the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria over the weekend, the Nigerian Red Cross said on August 30.

The death toll from Hurricane and Tropical Storm Irene has risen sharply to at least 40 as of August 30, as more bodies were pulled from floodwaters, according to state authorities.

Brent crude rose for a sixth straight session to a four-week high on August 30, boosted by concerns about gasoline supplies, optimism about fresh economic stimulus and the threat of fresh storms.

Japan's parliament has backed Yoshihiko Noda as the country's sixth prime minister in five years.

Russia stands against a West-drafted UN resolution on Syria, said Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vitali Churkin on August 29.

The extent of Hurricane Irene's destruction became clearer on August 29 as the northeastern US states of New York and Vermont battled record flooding and the death toll climbed above 30.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his cabinet resigned on August 30, making way for Yoshihiko Noda, the outgoing finance minister, to be confirmed by parliament as the new premier later in the day.

The wife of Muammar Gaddafi and three of his children took refuge in Algeria on August 29 but the whereabouts of Gaddafi himself remained a mystery a week after rebels drove him from power.

A new round of fierce fighting in southern Yemen killed 10 soldiers and 26 militants, military officials said on August 29, the latest battle in a government campaign to retake territory from al-Qaida-linked fighters.

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn apologized to the institution's staff in his first return visit since charges of sexual assault against him were dropped last week. He was greeted with warm applause.