At least five people have been killed in a stampede in the holy northern Indian town of Haridwar.

The stampede happened at a religious ceremony observing the 100th anniversary of the birth of the founder of a Hindu sect.

Syrian military forces have resumed their attacks in the city of Homs, say activist groups.

The activists report that tanks have shelled part of the city, a day after 20 people were said to have been killed in military action there.

A ferry carrying at least 1,200 people has caught fire in the Red Sea, officials say.

Israel says it will speed up Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem - and temporarily freeze the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority.

The announcement comes a day after the Palestinians won full membership of the UN cultural organisation, Unesco.

European markets have opened lower following Monday's announcement of a Greek referendum on the latest aid package to solve its debt crisis.

Eurozone leaders agreed a 100bn-euro (£86bn; $140bn) loan to Athens and a 50% debt write-off last week.

A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International.

Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time (01:55GMT) in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state.

Palestinian leaders will ask for Palestine to be admitted as a member of the UN cultural and scientific organisation, Unesco, at a vote in Paris on Monday.

Israel is strongly against the move.

The president of the European Central Bank has denied that eurozone countries are going "cap in hand" to China.

On the eve of his departure from the ECB's top job, Jean-Claude Trichet said the move was "absolutely normal".

An 18-year-old was pulled from underneath smashed concrete and debris on Thursday – after being trapped for almost 100 hours following the Turkey earthquake.

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Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has appointed interior minister Prince Nayef as the new crown prince, according to a royal court statement read out on state television early on Friday.

Water levels in Bangkok's main river hit a new high as residents continued to leave the Thai capital ahead of possible flooding at the weekend.

Roads were jammed as residents used a five-day holiday to leave the city.

An Israeli-American held by Egypt as an alleged spy is to be released in exchange for 25 Egyptians held in Israeli prisons.

Ilan Grapel is expected to arrive at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport later on Thursday and be greeted by his family.

Former Argentine naval officer Alfredo Astiz has been jailed for life for crimes against humanity during military rule in 1976-83.

Astiz - known as the "Blond Angel of Death" - was found guilty of torture, murder and forced disappearance.

Thousands of residents are rushing to leave the Thai capital Bangkok, which is braced for potentially severe flooding over the weekend.

The city's bus and train stations and many roads are jammed by crowds of people attempting to flee.

Dignitaries from around the world have gathered in the Saudi capital Riyadh for the funeral of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

They were among hundreds of mourners - including King Abdullah - for the ceremony in Riyadh's sprawling Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque. Prince Sultan, who was heir to the throne, died on Saturday in a New York hospital.

India's central bank has raised interest rates and cut its growth forecast amid high consumer prices and slowing global growth.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its key rate to 8.5% from 8.25%, the 13th increase since March last year.

India has "never been closer" to wiping out polio, India's health minister has declared while marking World Polio Day.

There have been no new cases for more than nine months, making it the longest polio-free period since the global eradication campaign was launched.

A two-year-old girl in southern China, who was run over by two vans and ignored by 18 passers-by, has died, hospital officials say.

Surveillance camera footage showed people walking past the girl as she lay bleeding and unconscious.

A police officer who was on duty with WPC Yvonne Fletcher when she was murdered has said Col Gaddafi's death is no cause for celebration.

John Murray described the former Libyan leader's death as "the worst result I could imagine" and said it left many questions unanswered.

Libyan authorities are planning a secret burial within the next few hours for ousted leader Col Muammar Gaddafi following his capture and death.

The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Tripoli says officials were still undecided early on Friday as to where and how the burial should take place.