Georgian troops today pulled out of the capital of the breakaway province of South Ossetia under massive Russian shelling.

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon criticised Burma’s military junta for its “unacceptably slow response” to helping cyclone victims.

Ambassadors from six world powers have reached agreement in principle on a proposed new package of sanctions against Iran.

Major world powers moved closer to agreement last night on a modest package of new sanctions against Iran.

The United Nations has received pledges of 3,500 troops for an expanded peacekeeping force in Lebanon, but it is unclear whether the soldiers represent the right mix of countries and units that could deploy quickly.