Close 
Syria continued its crackdown on anti-government protesters, with tanks approaching the flashpoint city of Deraa on 10 May. The death toll from the uprising has now reached 630, according to human rights groups. "I hope we are witnessing the end of the story," said a government spokeswoman.
Texas is expected to allow concealed handguns on campus at public universities, after Republicans in the state senate approved the measure. The chancellor of the University of Texas claimed it will lead to more campus crime and suicides.
Up to 150,000 people took part in a four-day silent march in Mexico calling for an end to the country's war on drugs. They were led by the poet Javier Sicilia, whose son was murdered with six others in Cuernavaca in March.
The Bangladeshi government continues to practise extrajudicial killings, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. More than 200 people have been killed by the country's Rapid Action Battalion, which was established to combat terrorism in 2004.
The European Union is likely to renegotiate its financial bailout
of Greece after it emerged that the country will not be able to meet the obligations of the original €110bn rescue package. The EU is expected to offer Greece a further €30bn-€50bn to service its debt, which is now €340bn, or 18 months of Greek GDP.
Two hundred people were killed by retreating militiamen loyal to the ousted leader Laurent Gbagbo in Côte d'Ivoire in early May. The attacks came after Alassane Ouattara was sworn in as president on 6 May, following a four-month stand-off in which 3,000 people died.
The social networking website LinkedIn will be valued at $3.3bn when it floats on the New York Stock Exchange later this month. The firm expects to raise as much as $274m in the initial public offering, as it cashes in on the appetite for internet firms and social media sites.
British banks will have to give back around £5bn to customers who were missold payment protection insurance, after they decided not to appeal a high court decision on the matter. Lloyds, Barclays, RBS and HSBC have set aside a total of £5.32bn to refund to customers who did not know they were buying the insurance or who were ineligible to claim it.
The former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has separated from his wife, Maria Shriver, a journalist and member of the Kennedy dynasty. Schwarzenegger stood down as governor six months ago and plans to restart his film career.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of children developing behavioural problems, according to a survey of more than 10,000 mothers carried out by researchers. Four per cent of breastfed children had behavioural problems, compared to 16 per cent of children who were fed with formula milk.