At least 15 people have been killed in North Carolina and South Carolina in the United States as a result of Hurricane Florence which is downgraded to a tropical storm.

Saudi Arabia and Russia have held "hostage" the oil market as US President Donald Trump seeks to impose new sanctions on Iranian oil sales, a senior Iranian energy official has said.

A London-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight was delayed for over three hours after a physical brawl between the pilot and a steward.

Local authorities in Nigeria's southern state of Edo on Saturday said 30,000 people have been displaced by floods in more than 35 communities in eastern and central part of the state.

The death toll from tropical storm Florence that made landfall in the US east coast, has increased to 13, with authorities warning of continued rains and flooding.

 Syria's air defences responded to an Israeli attack near the international airport of the capital Damascus on Saturday evening, state TV reported.

The Saudi-led coalition involved in the Yemeni war announced on Saturday the interception of a missile shot by Houthi militias toward the border city of Jazan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

At least seven people were killed as hurricane Florence made landfall in the US state of North Carolina, battering the state with a powerful combination of wind and rain. Warnings were issued about the risk of life-threatening flash flooding in parts of North and South Carolina as well as in Virginia.