World News: Poll boost for Obama as 2012 election talk begins

Barack Obama's approval rating has hit its highest point in two years, 60 per cent, and more than half of Americans now say he deserves to be re-elected, according to a poll.

The GfK poll, taken after US forces killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, gave worrying signs for Republicans, showing the president's standing improved not just on foreign policy, but also on the economy.

Independent Americans, a key voting bloc in the November 2012 presidential election, caused the overall increase in support by sliding back to Mr Obama after fleeing for much of the past two years.

Comfortable majorities of the public now call Mr Obama a strong leader who will keep America safe. Nearly three-quarters also now say they are confident that he can effectively handle terrorist threats. And he improved his standing on Afghanistan, Iraq and the US' relationships with other countries.

Despite a sluggish economic recovery, 52 per cent of Americans now approve of Mr Obama's stewardship of the economy, giving him his best rating on that issue since the early days of his presidency.

Britney to star in comic book

Britney Spears is to star in a new one-shot comic book courtesy of Bluewater Productions' Fame series that has seen it profile other celebrities, including Lady Gaga.

The Spears comic will focus on her rise to stardom, her private life and her efforts to be understood, said writer Patrick McCray.

Warning over bear bile trade

Asian countries are failing to stem the illegal cross-border trade of bear bile amid robust demand for folk remedies harvested from the live animals, an anti-smuggling group said today.

The trafficking of bile-based traditional medicine is a key threat to Asiatic black bears, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia said in a report.

Digestive juice from the gall bladders of bears has been used for centuries across Asia to treat ailments from sore throats to piles.

Hungry Koreans eat grass

The UN says hunger is driving some North Koreans to eat more wild grass, and humanitarians are pressuring the US and South Korea to send food.

American televangelist Franklin Graham, who has joined calls for more food aid, arrived in North Korea yesterday to discuss possible aid from a Christian charity.

Pink panther fetches 10m

Jeff Koons' iconic porcelain sculpture of a pink panther hugging a bare-breasted blonde has sold for 10.3m million at a New York City auction.

Sotheby's said Pink Panther had been estimated to fetch 12m-18m.

The sculpture sold yesterday is one of three editions of the work.

Opposition chief hurt in gun attack

Thailand: An opposition lawmaker has been wounded in a drive-by shooting near Bangkok.Last night's attack has been denounced as the first election-related violence as the country gears up for tense national polls.

Venezuela: The government has begun rationing electricity across most of the country because of recurring power cuts, the Energy Ministry says.

Officials have blamed failures of transmission lines.