The main Syrian aid agency says that at least two and a half million people are now displaced within Syria. The figure from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent more than doubles previous estimates. The United Nations refugee agency says the figure has shown the people are on the run and in hiding.
President Obama has suspended the nomination of the top American military officer in Afghanistan, General John Allen for the post of Nato's supreme commander. The US Defence Department is investigating allegations that General Allen exchanged communications described by one official as flirtatious with a woman at the center of a scandal surrounding the resignation last week of the CIA director, David Petraeus. Jonny Dymond in Washington has more.
The Pentagon is reviewing tens of thousands of documents emailed by the General to Jill Kelley, a friend of his and of David Petraeus, the former General, who resigned as head of the CIA on Friday following revelations of an affair. So far the emails have been described as potentially inappropriate by the Pentagon, but it's not clear if they involve any security breach. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president has faith in General Allen and believe he is doing and has done an excellent job in Afghanistan.
World News from the BBC.
The United State treasury has posted a sharp rise in the federal budget deficit, they said the gap between the government income and spending widened by 22% in October compared with the same month last year. Tax rises and spending cuts are due to coming into effect the at end of the December that would cut the deficit sharply but analysts have warned they could plunge the country back into recession.