World news: Obama to start withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

The reductions are larger and faster than military commanders had advised. They told the president that the recent security gains were fragile and reversible, and urged him to keep troop numbers high until 2013.

That would have given them another full "fighting season" - in addition to the one now under way. Nevertheless, about 68,000 US troops will remain in Afghanistan.

The speed of UK troop withdrawals will be based on conditions on the ground, David Cameron told America.

All US combat troops are scheduled to leave by 2013, provided that Afghan forces are ready to assume responsibility for security. Correspondents say the enormous cost of the deployment has attracted criticism from Congressional leaders, while the public are weary of a war that seems to have no end and has left at least 1,500 dead and 12,000 wounded.

Chavez recovering from surgery

President Hugo Chavez is recuperating well from his surgery in Cuba and is expected to return to Venezuela within 12 days, one of his brothers said.

Adan Chavez told state television that "it's not clear" exactly when his brother would return, but probably in 10 to 12 days.

Leaders set to discuss Greece

Europe's leaders will gather in Brussels tonight with the Greek economic crisis on a knife-edge and nothing - for the moment - that they can do about it.

The long-arranged summit comes not long after the Greek prime minister survived a confidence vote and just before the Greek parliament votes next week on more austerity measures being demanded by the EU and IMF in return for more bailout money, due to be paid next month.

Gaddafi accuses Nato of murder

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has accused Nato states of murder, two days after members of the family of a close aide were killed in an air strike.

In an audio message broadcast on state TV he described those who carried out the bombardment as "criminals" and "barbarians".

Speaker found guilty of deaths

A MOTIVATIONAL speaker has been found guilty over the deaths of three people who fell ill during a meeting at an Arizona "sweat lodge".

A jury found James Ray guilty of three counts of "negligent homicide".

The deaths occurred at the Angel Valley Retreat Center.

France: Former French minister, Georges Tron, has been charged with rape and sexual assault after two days of questioning by prosecutors.

Mr Tron is facing accusations that he sexually assaulted women working for him at the town hall in Draveil, where he is mayor.

New Zealand: The government has offered to pay thousands of homeowners to leave areas of the country's second-largest city hardest hit by recent earthquakes.