US secretary of state John Kerry said yesterday major differences persist between Iran and six world powers negotiating on Tehran’s nuclear programme, remarks echoed by Tehran, with a July 20 deadline for a deal approaching.

The European Union is considering trade action against Bangladesh, which has preferential access to EU markets for its garments, in order to pressure Dhaka to improve safety standards after a building collapse killed hundreds of factory workers.

The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution welcoming positive changes in Burma but expressing serious concern at an upsurge of sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in strife-torn Rakhine state.

Iran is willing to continue talks with world powers over its nuclear programme until they reach a conclusion, a senior Iranian official said today in a report by the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The EU has suspended its sanctions against Burma, but will retain an embargo on arms sales.

Iran has said it will allow UN inspectors access to a secret military complex where the UN nuclear agency suspects atomic work has been carried out.

Leading Republican senator John McCain has urged the United States to launch airstrikes against Syrian president Bashar Assad's regime to force him out of power.

Diplomats working at the Iranian embassy in London have until this afternoon to leave the UK

WORLD leaders united yesterday to demand that Syrian president, Bashar Assad resign, saying his brutal suppression of his people had made him unfit to lead.

Britain is pressing for an EU emergency summit declaration calling for Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to step down, as it emerged that the Libyan leader's security forces detained and repeatedly beat members of a BBC news team.

DOZENS of people were injured in clashes in Benghazi, a hospital in the eastern city said yesterday, as Libya braced for a “Day of Anger” following revolts in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia.

The Egyptian government must begin political reforms immediately, European leaders demanded today amid violent clashes on the streets of Cairo.

MEPs joined Europe's new president Herman Van Rompuy today in calling for a stronger EU response to global disasters.

IRAN yesterday said it would refuse to discuss a newly declared nuclear plant at forthcoming international talks and cautioned Western powers it could curb co-operation further if they repeated “past mistakes”.

Iranian authorities have detained several local employees of the British Embassy in Tehran, a move that UK foreign secretary David Miliband today called “harassment and intimidation” and reflected a hardening of the regime’s stance toward the West.

A flotilla of EU warships will begin anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia next week.

THE Quartet of Middle East peace mediators sought yesterday to keep alive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks although political uncertainty in Israel has scotched hopes for a deal this year.

Tony Blair will travel to the Middle East next week to help find a solution to Gaza’s border crisis, a senior EU official said today.

Kenya’s deadlocked political leaders were today urged to work together to end the tribal violence sweeping the country.

Israel's deputy defence minister today threatened to target Hamas' political leaders, calling them "terrorists in suits" after a Hamas rocket attack killed an Israeli woman.

The confrontation over Iran’s seizure of 15 British sailors escalated today with Tehran announcing the captured seamen admitted to straying into Iranian territorial waters.

Helicopter gunships attacked suspected al-Qaida fighters in southern Somalia a today – a day after US forces launched airstrikes in the eastern African nation.

The European Union plans to pull its peacekeepers out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on schedule, despite heightened tension over the upcoming results of key elections, senior officials said today.

The European Union and Nato today condemned North Korea’s nuclear test, saying it endangered peace around the world.

OIL rose above $63 yesterday on concerns that export cartel OPEC would cut output to halt a 20% slide in prices over the past two months.

Key European nations are warning other countries that Iran is trying to weaken the international consensus against its contentious nuclear programme by stalling in its response to terms set by six world powers for negotiations, according to a confidential document obtained today by The Associated Press.

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.

UN chief Kofi Annan has won a pledge from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to support a UN resolution bringing peace to Lebanon, but was warned Iran would not suspend sensitive nuclear work before negotiations on uranium enrichment.

The European Commission’s president today appealed to warring sides in the Middle East to immediately end the month-long conflict and allow for humanitarian assistance to reach the civilian population in southern Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Rome today ahead of a conference that will gather top diplomats and officials from key Mideast players in an effort to stop warfare between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Foreign ministers from the six powers pushing Iran to accept a package of incentives to suspend its nuclear programme met behind closed doors in Paris on Wednesday – the latest deadline in the stand-off, and one that Tehran looked set to ignore.

Top Iranian and European envoys will meet this week to discuss “ambiguities” in a package of Western incentives aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend its controversial nuclear programme, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said today.

Cyprus’ insistence that the EU pressure on Turkey towards establishing relations with the divided island’s government today threatened to derail Ankara’s first detailed negotiations to join the EU before they could begin.

World powers are prepared to give up on demands that Iran commit to a long-term moratorium on uranium enrichment and now are asking only for suspension during talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, diplomats said today.

A package of incentives presented to Iran includes a major concession by Washington – an offer to join key European nations in providing some nuclear technology to Tehran if it stops enriching uranium, diplomats said.

Iranian officials will meet with a senior EU representative carrying a package of rewards and penalties meant to stop Tehran’s uranium enrichment program tomorrow – including new US offers to lift bans on deliveries of some sensitive technologies, diplomats said.

In a major policy shift, the United States said today it is prepared to join other nations in holding direct talks with Iran on its nuclear programme if Iran first agrees to stop disputed nuclear activities that the West fears could lead to a bomb.

EUROPEAN powers yesterday began drafting a resolution to have Iran referred to the UN Security Council next month over its contentious nuclear work, diplomats said, after Russia and the West neared agreement on strategy.

The European Union today called on Iran to live up to “clear obligations” made to the international community to allow international inspectors to see its nuclear facilities.

Prime Minister Tony Blair met Chinese President Hu Jintao today at the start of a China-European Union summit focused on boosting trade and tackling global warming.

Prince Harry’s Nazi fancy-dress uniform complete with swastika armband sparked international outrage tonight amid calls for him to apologise in public for his “shameful” antics.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko promised his shivering supporters their round-the clock vigil in the Ukrainian capital would bring victory soon.

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 Palestinian elections provide an opportunity to revive the Mideast peace process, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today, adding that Israel is ready for such a step.