The International Monetary Fund has resumed its bailout of war-torn Ukraine, approving disbursement of US$1 billion from an aid package that had been held up in part on corruption concerns.

New York City investigators on Tuesday searched for a man suspected of setting fire to a traditionally dressed Muslim woman in a Midtown shopping area, police said.

Forces opposed to Libya's unity government seized a fourth oil port, completing their takeover of vital installations in the North African country's "oil crescent", a military source said.

 Plans to create new migrant centres across France notably to house thousands moved from Calais' notorious Jungle camp were condemned by right-wing critics on Tuesday as "irresponsible" and at risk of sparking a "civil war"

Hillary Clinton returns Thursday to the White House campaign fray after a few days at home recovering from pneumonia in a health scare that rocked her bid to become America's first woman president.

 The UN's Syria envoy has applauded a "significant drop" in violence through the first 24 hours of a fragile ceasefire but said security concerns meant aid convoys stayed on hold.

US and Cuban officials held talks in Washington on bilateral economic issues on Monday for the first time since the countries resumed normal diplomatic ties, diplomats said.

A US-and Russia-brokered ceasefire dubbed by Washington as perhaps the "last chance to save Syria" entered its first full day on Tuesday, amid scepticism over how long it would hold.

Libya's UN-backed unity government lost control on Monday of a third oil port seized by rival forces, raising fears of a major outbreak of fresh violence in the chaos-ridden country.