The whitehouse is accusing Beijing of deliberately allowing refugee of intelligence worker Edward Snowden to flee Hongkong. He says the incident has damaged US-China relations. Mr. Snowden is believed to still be in Moscow, and the US is pressuring Russia to hand him over. 

 

South Africa's president Jocob Zuma says Nelson Mandela remains in a critical condition. Mr. Zuma says Doctors are doing everything they can to make the former president comfortable. Family members including Mr.Mendela's former wife Winnie have been visiting him in hospital.

 

And Italian court has sentenced the country's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to seven years' jail, and has banned him from public office after having sex with an uder-aged prostitute. Mr. Berlusconi wasn't in court to hear the verdict and he will appeal the sentence. He's unluckily to go to jail because of his age and the length of time the appeals will take.

 

A state memorial for Hazel Hawke could be held in Sydney Opera House this afternoon. The ex-wife of former prime minister Bob Hawke died last month from complications of Alzheimer's disease.