Haitians storm president's palace

Haitians stormed the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince to demand the resignation of Rene Preval, the country's president, while going on a rampage in the capital over soaring food prices.

United Nations (UN) peacekeepers drove them away from the palace on Tuesday firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

The rioters, however, had left trails of destruction across the capital by late afternoon.   Concrete barricades and burned-out cars blocked streets, while windows were smashed and buildings set on fire from the capital's centre up through its densely populated hills.

The UN Security Council has pledged to support Haiti's government amid growing anger across the country over the cost of basic foodstuffs.

Hedi Annabi, UN envoy, said on Tuesday after briefing the council: "I think we have made progress in stabilising the country, but that progress is extremely fragile, highly reversible, and made even more fragile by the current socio-economic environment."

'Political dimension'

Annabi said that the current unrest appeared "to have a political dimension, in addition to expressing mounting frustration about the rising cost of basic food commodities".

Outnumbered UN peacekeepers watched as people looted businesses near the presidential palace, not budging from the building's perimeter.