A train is derailed and two people are swept from their car in Australia's flood-affected Northern Territories, hit by Tropical Cyclone Grant.

Rich countries are failing to contribute to a emergency fund leaving the world "dangerously unprepared" for future disasters, the UK warns.

Arab League peace monitors arrive in Syria's restive city of Homs, to be met by tens of thousands of anti-government protesters.

Iran puts on trial an American man of Iranian descent who "confessed" to working as a CIA spy on state TV, local media say.

North Korea is to begin two days of funeral services for its late leader Kim Jong-il, with hundreds of thousands expected to attend in Pyongyang.

Communist Cuba expands its free-market reforms, opening more of the retail services sector to small private businesses.

Ultra-orthodox Jews and police clash in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh in a dispute over the segregation of the sexes in the town.

A Chilean newspaper is ordered to pay compensation to 13 readers who were injured by exploding pastries when they followed a recipe it published.