Civic groups from around the US are urging New York's attorney general to investigate the New York Police Department surveillance operations.

The FBI investigates how activists linked to Anonymous obtained a recording of a phone call between US and UK police on their operations against hacking.

US prosecutors close an investigation into allegations of criminal conduct over doping claims in a cycle team partly owned by Lance Armstrong.

Alleged Wikileaks suspect Bradley Manning, charged with leaking thousands of classified documents, will face a court martial, says the US Army.

A Cuban woman who writes a blog critical of the Communist authorities says she will not be able to travel to Brazil after Cuba refused her an exit visa.

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on Saturday on a resolution backing an Arab peace plan for Syria, amid fresh reports of mass killings in Homs.

Freezing weather sweeping across Europe is causing a shortage of vital Russian gas supplies to several countries, officials say.

George Esper, who reported on the fall of Saigon for the Associated Press during the last days of the Vietnam war, dies at the age of 79.