Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces have drawn back some heavy weapons from the front line in the east in compliance with a ceasefire deal, although officials in Kiev accused rebels of falling short of requirements.

Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are struggling to reach a deal this morning in marathon talks aimed at ending fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Clashes broke out outside the main rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine, throwing the freshly forged ceasefire deal between government troops and Russian-backed separatists into further doubt.

Clashes have broken out outside the main rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine, throwing the freshly forged ceasefire agreement between government troops and Russian-backed separatists into further doubt.

Shelling resounded on the outskirts of a key Ukrainian port as Russian-backed rebels pressed their south-east offensive, just hours ahead of talks that are widely hoped to bring a ceasefire.

Russia’s foreign minister has urged those holding a new round of talks on easing Ukraine’s crisis to push for a ceasefire between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian separatists.

A team of international police officers that had been due to visit the site of the Malaysia Airlines plane disaster in eastern Ukraine has cancelled the trip after receiving reports of fighting in the area.

Rebels have recovered the black boxes from downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and will hand them over to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a rebel leader said yesterday.

An insurgent leader's fighters in Ukraine are holding four observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Ukraine’s government launched talks on decentralising power as part of a European-backed peace plan but did not invite its main foes, the pro-Russia insurgents who have declared independence in the east.

European Union foreign ministers added 13 people to their visa ban and asset freeze list over Ukraine’s crisis.

The Kremlin has said Ukraine’s government should engage in a dialogue with the eastern parts of the country following the controversial referendums where about 90% of voters said they backed their regions’ sovereignty.

The military observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe who were held for more than a week have been released, the leader of pro-Russia insurgents in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk has said.

Gunfire and blasts have been heard around an eastern city in Ukraine that has become the focus of an armed pro-Russian insurgency.

Russia's foreign minister has justified the use of Russian troops streaming into neighbouring Ukraine's Crimea region as a necessary protection for his country's citizens living there.

Ukraine mobilised for war yesterday after Russian president Vladimir Putin declared he had the right to invade, creating the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

Russsian observers today warned they are seeing widespread violations in elections expected to return Vladimir Putin to the Kremlin, despite efforts to give the appearance of a fair vote.

AN official round of peace talks will begin in Dublin today between Moldova and its breakaway region, Transdniestria.

Ireland has taken over the chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

HUNGARY began its fightback against claims that its new media law muzzles the media and prevents free speech, saying it is part of a revolution to break its last links with the communist era.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition has backed down on a controversial wiretaps bill as its deputies approved a watered-down version in a parliamentary committee vote.

“YESTERDAY’S history and tomorrow’s a mystery.” So declared Ivor Callely at the Seanad probe investigating his travel expenses.

THE first high-level talks between Russia and Georgia since their war broke down yesterday, but international sponsors said the negotiations had only hit a procedural snag and would resume next month.

Russian forces and their separatist militia allies are keeping international monitors out of South Ossetia, according to confidential documents today.

A senior Western diplomat says talks with Russia have collapsed on the sensitive issue of sending additional international monitors to keep tabs on South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

RUSSIA moved to ease tensions with the west ahead of an EU emergency summit on the Georgia conflict, as Britain pushed yesterday for a “root-and-branch” review of the bloc’s relations with Moscow.

More helicopters and surveillance aircraft are needed in Afghanistan to support the armed forces there, a senior Nato official said today.

AN TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern admitted he did not support Dustin the Turkey in the Eurosong final but he pledged to respect the people’s choice.

A leading independent election watchdog has said it will boycott next month’s Russian presidential ballot because of state interference.

Mikhail Saakashvili was re-elected as Georgia’s president with 52.8% of the vote, election officials said tonight.

Uzbekistan’s authoritarian President Islam Karimov, who has ruled the Central Asian nation for nearly two decades, won another seven-year term with 88.1% of the votes, according to early returns released by Central Election Commission today – an election critics dismissed as a sham.

Uzbeks went to the polls today in a tightly controlled presidential vote that is widely expected to extend the rule of one of the most autocratic and anti-Western leaders in strategic Central Asia.

Russians complained today about being pressured to vote, with some saying their ballots were already filled out for President Vladimir Putin’s party and others reporting cash bribes, election watchdogs said.

President Emomali Rakhmonov has been re-elected with 79.3% of the vote, according to preliminary results in Tajikistan’s presidential poll.

SEVERAL thousand opposition supporters gathered on a main square in central Minsk last night as polls closed in a disputed presidential election.

Albanians today cast ballots in a key test of its post-Communist institutions, but local observers raised some concerns over voting procedures in rural areas.

THE United States must close Guantanamo prison, where its treatment of some 500 terrorism suspects encourages hatred toward the West and bolsters Muslim membership of the al Qaida network, a new report concludes.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko savoured his apparent victory in Ukraine’s presidential election rerun tonight, but his bitter opponent refused to admit defeat.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko savoured his apparent victory in Ukraine’s presidential election rerun today, but his opponent’s supporters vowed to challenge the results in court in what could be yet another protracted legal battle.

The campaign for a third round of voting in Ukraine’s bitterly fought presidential contest officially opened today, with activists signing up to monitor the election and a top ally of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko speaking confidently of victory.

Ukraine’s opposition brought down the government today, and opposition leader, Viktor Yuschenko, signed a compromise deal that obliges his supporters to immediately lift their siege of government buildings.

THE rivals for the Ukrainian presidency sat down and talked last night with European and Russian envoys and the man they both hope to succeed.

The rivals at war over the Ukrainian presidency sat down and talked tonight with the man they both hope to succeed and European and Russian envoys.

Thousands of Ukrainian opposition supporters encircled government buildings in Kiev today, refusing to let anyone through as they intensified their protests against the outcome of disputed presidential elections.