International observers who came under fire in northern Syria were apparently stranded in the area overnight, but United Nations officials hope to evacuate the group within hours.

United Nations observers have inspected the site of an explosion which flattened a block of houses in the central Syrian city of Hama and killed at least 16 people, while the government and the opposition blamed each other for the blast.

International envoy Kofi Annan has told the United Nations Security Council that the situation in Syria is “bleak” and expressed alarm at reports that government troops are still carrying out military operations in towns where UN observers are not present.

A resolution expanding the number of UN observers in Syria from 30 to 300 and demanding an immediate halt to violence has been approved by the UN Security Council today.

Syrian troops shelled a rebel-held area of Homs and sent reinforcements to border areas today.

An advance team of six UN observers has arrived in the Syrian capital to monitor the country’s ceasefire, which appeared to be rapidly unravelling today as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs with artillery shells and mortars, activists said.

Activists say Syrian troops are shelling neighbourhoods in the opposition stronghold of Homs, hours after the arrival of a first team of UN truce monitors to Damascus.

The United Nations Security Council will vote today on a resolution authorising the deployment of the first wave of military observers to monitor a ceasefire between the Syrian government and opposition fighters.

An advance team of United Nations observers is standing ready to enter Syria, where a tentative ceasefire is “relatively respected” despite government troops and heavy weapons still in population centres, according to a spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon and his envoy today said they were encouraged that a ceasefire appears to be holding in Syria, but urged its government to keep its promises and said a single gunshot could derail the fragile peace.

Syria has promised to stop fighting in time for the deadline for a ceasefire brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan.

About 1,000 people have been killed by Syrian government forces in the last eight days, according to the country’s main opposition group.

Syrian troops have launched a fierce assault on a Damascus suburb, days ahead of a deadline for a UN-brokered ceasefire.

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is urging the Syrian government to lay down its weapons first to immediately end the nation’s crisis.

UN chief Kofi Annan has agreed to mediate in efforts for the release of two abducted Israeli soldiers after requests from both Hezbollah and Israel, Annan’s spokesman said today.

The UN chief has got little satisfaction at the close of his trip to Tehran, snubbed by Iran’s leader over international demands to stop enriching uranium and ignored in warnings not to incite hatred by questioning the Holocaust.

THE UN again postponed a meeting of nations that could send peacekeepers to south Lebanon, saying talks about sending troops were pointless before there was progress on peace between Israel and Hezbollah.

A Governing Council meeting to select a new Iraqi president has been postponed for 24 hours, wrecking hopes of announcing a new government by the end of this month.

A Shiite surgeon, who survived a Saddam Hussein ordered assassination attempt in London while in exile, tonight appears set to Iraq’s new prime minister.

A UN team assessing the feasibility of early elections in Iraq met with local politicians yesterday, amid reports that a suspected al-Qaida operative proposed provoking sectarian conflict between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims to disrupt the scheduled power transfer to Iraqis.

Four Afghan factions have agreed on an interim cabinet headed by anti-Taliban commander Hamid Karzai.

An agreement on powersharing among four Afghan factions is close as the talks run into their ninth day.

Four Afghan factions have agreed on a framework for a post-Taliban administration.

The United Nations presented a draft deal on Afghanistan’s political future today, outlining terms for the Northern Alliance to transfer power as part of intense international efforts to secure peace and stability in the war-torn country.

Talks on Afghanistan’s political future moved into a decisive phase today, with pressure building on the Northern Alliance to agree to an interim administration.

The Northern Alliance is facing international pressure to break a deadlock in talks on Afghanistan's political future by coming up with names of people it wants in an interim administration.

Afghan factions have drafted lists of proposed representatives for a post-Taliban administration.

The Northern Alliance will not oppose an international security force to ensure peace during an interim administration.

US air strikes targeted outnumbered and cornered followers of Osama bin Laden today as a prison uprising in northern Afghanistan stretched into its third day.

Afghan factions today open talks on how to share power and secure peace once the Taliban are defeated.

UN mediators are holding a conference in Germany to speed up plans for an interim Afghan government.