It is now reported that 21 journalists were killed in the massacre that took place on Monday in the Philippines' southern province of Maguindanao.

The Manila-based Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility told the International Press Institute that a total of 34 journalists are believed to have been part of a convoy that was ambushed by over 100 gunmen at a police checkpoint .

The convoy was travelling to file candidacy papers for gubernatorial candidate and local mayor Esmael Mangudadatu. He was not on board the convoy.

Police have found the bodies of 57 people buried in shallow graves close to the checkpoint.

U.S. President Barack Obama will announce his new strategy for Afghanistan on Tuesday.

The White House says the president will make his plans known in an evening address (0100 UTC) from the U.S. military academy at West Point, in the northeastern state of New York.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs announced President Obama's plans Wednesday.

Gibbs noted that U.S. forces have been in Afghanistan for eight years.  He said the U.S. will not be in the country for another 8 or 9 years.

The White House spokesman also said President Obama will reveal his Afghanistan strategy to members of the U.S. Congress Tuesday, ahead of his address to the nation.

U.S. news organizations say President Obama is most likely to back a plan to send between 30,000 and 35,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has failed to disarm Rwandan Hutu fighters, UN experts say.

According to a 93-page report for the UN Security Council, leaked on Wednesday, this has exacerbated conflict in the north of the country.

The report said that despite the mission in North and South Kivu provinces the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) was continuing to recruit and arm fighters