An Obama impersonator is shown off stage at a Republican event after jokes about the party's White House contenders and the president's biracial heritage.

Ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali denies all charges against him on the eve of the start of his trial in absentia.

Rory McIlroy secures his first major title with an eight-shot victory in the US Open at Congressional.

Brazilian security forces occupy one of Rio de Janeiro's biggest slums in a crackdown on crime ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

The UN's nuclear watchdog is about to start a meeting aimed at improving nuclear safety as a result of the disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant.

Global internet body Icann votes to allow the creation of new website domain suffixes, the biggest change for the online world in years.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is to address the nation for the first time in two months, as his security forces continue to crack down on protests.

Some 3,000 non-industrial businesses in Shanghai will be urged to close on the hottest days this summer because of China's electricity shortages.