The world today - September 1

The swollen Passaic River floods River Road in Paterson, New Jersey. Photo / AP

New Jersey disaster

President Obama has declared New Jersey a "major"disaster area and announced plans to visit the state to view the damage wreaked by Hurricane Irene.

Obama's declaration makes government funds available to people affected by flooding and other hurricane-related damage in the state, including funds for temporary housing and home repairs as well as loans to cover property losses.

Thousands remain cut off by flooding in the state.

Flooding kills dozens

At least 102 people are now thought to have been killed by floods in and around the south-western Nigerian city of Ibadan, reported the Nigerian Red Cross.

Most of the victims were children. Flooding from the heavy rains that began late last week has so far damaged three bridges and caused a dam to overflow, submerging buildings across the city.

Officials said some of the flood's victims had been trapped in collapsed buildings.

WikiLeaks picks another fight

WikiLeaks has entered into a war of words with the Guardian after accusing the British newspaper of divulging the password needed to decrypt the files which contained thousands of diplomatic cables.

WikiLeaks said the disclosure had jeopardized the "careful work" it was doing to redact and publish the cables. The Guardian has denied wrongdoing, describing the accusations as "ridiculous".

Violence in Colombia

Colombia's defence minister Rodrigo Rivera has abruptly quit amid a resurgence of violence by rebel and criminal gangs that has reversed some of the security gains made by the South American country over the past decade.

Rivera, defence minister for just one year, said in a letter to President Juan Manuel Santo it was time to "put an end to this chapter of my life and explore other opportunities."

Gadaffi resistance

The son of fugitive Colonel Muammar Gadaffi has vowed resistance, despite facing an ultimatum to surrender. Speaking from Tripoli's outskirts, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi told the BBC his father was fine. "The resistance continues and victory is near." Saif al-Islam warned against an attack on the city of Sirte, which remains under the control of Gadaffi loyalists, saying there were 20,000 armed people ready to defend the city.