US troops in Baghdad fight

American troops found themselves battling heavily armed militants attacking Iraqi military headquarters in the centre of Baghdad, days after the US officially ended combat operations and touted Iraq's ability to defend itself.

Yesterday's fighting killed 12 people and wounded dozens.

The attack displayed the kind of lapses in security that have left Iraqis wary of the US departure and distrustful of the ability of Iraqi forces.

Capsized boats claim 70 lives

Two boats capsized in separate incidents on Congo's vast rivers, leaving 70 people dead and 200 others missing.

Early on Saturday, a boat on a river in the north-west hit a rock and capsized. More than 70 were believed dead among 100 passengers.

In a separate incident in the south, 200 were feared dead after a boat loaded with passengers and fuel drums caught fire and capsized.

Tourists catch sex diseases

Nearly one in 20 holidaymakers will have returned home with a sexually transmitted disease contracted while on holiday this summer, a survey showed.

As many as 23pc admitted having had sex with a stranger on holiday.

Of these, 3pc thought they had slept with someone but could not really remember because they were too drunk.