The West is nothing more than a television witness to the “absurdly awful” Syrian civil war, the co-founder of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) has warned.

British leaders have no choice but to court powerful media barons such as Rupert Murdoch or risk savage press attacks which are “full on, full frontal, day in, day out”, former prime minister Tony Blair told an inquiry.

THE body of an Iraq war veteran suspected of killing a US national park ranger may have been found, authorities said.

THE young soldier accused of leaking national security secrets to WikiLeaks, sat quietly at the opening of his pretrial hearing yesterday, as lawyers tangled over whether the presiding officer could be impartial.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has arrived in Baghdad today to formally end the nearly nine-year war in Iraq.

US President Barack Obama saluted troops back from Iraq today, applauding their “extraordinary achievement” and declaring that the nearly nine-year conflict was ending “not with a final battle, but with a final march toward home.”

Malaysian-led activists plan to hold a symbolic trial this month against former US president George W. Bush and former British prime minister Tony Blair on charges of committing crimes against peace in the Iraq war.

US General David Petraeus, Washington’s new intelligence chief, handed over command of US and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan after a tentative start was made to a gradual process of transferring security to Afghan forces.

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has officially opened his quest for a second White House term, calling on his supporters to reconnect after two tough years and prepare for a battle to protect his crusade of change.

Tony Blair, who took Britain into war in Iraq as prime minister, has been recalled to give additional evidence to the inquiry into the conflict, the inquiry team announced yesterday.

In the UK, Tony Blair will be recalled to give evidence to the Iraq inquiry.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today his religious beliefs did not play a role in his decision to support the US invasion of Iraq.

WASHINGTON’S envoy to Iraq has condemned WikiLeaks as “absolutely awful” as world capitals braced for the looming release of three million sensitive diplomatic cables by the whistleblower website.

But to suggest that this explains Berlusconi’s political success presents Italians as morons, programmed to vote for him at the flick of a switch.

Military documents laid bare in the biggest leak of secret information in US history suggest that far more Iraqis died than previously acknowledged during the years of sectarian bloodletting and criminal violence unleashed by the 2003 US-led invasion.

Tony Blair’s memoirs went on sale today, laying bare the divisions at the top of the Labour Party and focusing attention on his relationship with “maddening” Gordon Brown.

Iraq’s secular former prime minister edged out Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as final results of the parliamentary elections were released today.

Dubliner Richard Baneham has won an Oscar for his work on visual effects on 'Avatar', but it was director Kathryn Bigelow and 'The Hurt Locker' who emerged as the victors from the battle of the blockbusters at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles last night.

Anti-war protesters in the UK will try to hand over a giant “bloodstained” cheque to Gordon Brown when he appears before the Iraq inquiry today.

British actors Carey Mulligan and Colin Firth were the stars of the Baftas - but sci-fi hit 'Avatar' failed to match its record-breaking box-office success with awards.

FORMER British cabinet minister Clare Short yesterday accused Tony Blair of lying over the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and said she believed the government’s chief lawyer at the time had misled the cabinet over its legality.

Blockbuster sci-fi spectacle 'Avatar' is tipped for big Oscar nominations success today in a list which could see director James Cameron pitted against his ex-wife.

Tony Blair’s long-awaited appearance before the Iraq Inquiry got under way today.

Tony Blair arrived early for his highly-anticipated appearance at the Iraq Inquiry today as he prepared to be grilled on why he took Britain to war.

Gordon Brown finally bowed to intense political pressure today and agreed to appear before the Iraq Inquiry before the general election in the UK.

Former British defence secretary Geoff Hoon was facing questions about the build-up to the invasion of Iraq as he appeared before the Chilcot inquiry today.

The British attorney general “materially” changed his advice on the legality of military action against Iraq in the final days before the invasion, the inquiry into the war was told today.

Tony Blair sent George Bush secret messages in the year before the invasion of Iraq assuring him Britain would “be there” if it came to military action, the inquiry into the war heard today.

Public hearings in the Iraq war inquiry will begin in the UK next month, it was announced today.

THE awarding of the Nobel Peace Price to President Barack Obama landed with a shock on darkened, still-asleep Washington. He won! For what?

BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced an independent inquiry into the Iraq war yesterday but faced claims of a cover-up after saying it would take evidence in private.

Kofi Annan lost his voice, looked vacant at meetings and even sought medical help after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to a new biography by his former spokesman.

All American combat troops will be pulled out of Iraq by August next year, President Barack Obama announced today.

EARLY yesterday, Americans were delighted to find out that while they were sleeping, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had come to an end.

US voters queued for hours today at the end of a marathon and historic political race expected to make Democrat Barack Obama the country’s first black president.

Police say 15 people have been arrested during anti-war protests outside the Long Island university campus where the US presidential debate was held last night.

Barack Obama, who hoped to woo moderate voters in traditionally Republican territory on his US Independence Day campaign tour, found himself instead defending against criticism that he was wavering on Iraq war policy to win votes.

The White House press secretary most known for defending President George Bush on Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and a host of other controversies has produced a shock memoir damning his old boss on nearly every level.

President George Bush has urged the US Congress to approve $770m US (€498m) to help ease soaring food prices that threaten widespread hunger and increasing social unrest around the world.

Plunging consumer confidence and a record fall in US house prices failed to derail a stock market fight-back from the UK’s biggest companies today.

British shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague today insisted “now is the right time” as he sought to step up Conservative pressure on British prime minister Gordon Brown for an inquiry into the Iraq war.

US VICE President Dick Cheney yesterday declared the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq a “successful endeavour” in a visit to Iraq that was overshadowed by a suicide bombing that killed at least 32 people.

Three US soldiers were killed in north-western Baghdad when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, the military said today.

Democrats in the US house of Representatives have pushed through a bill today, requiring President George Bush to start bringing troops home from Iraq with a goal of ending combat by next December.