The UN Security Council today expressed regret at Burma’s slow progress in opening talks with the pro-democracy opposition.

Burma's ruling military junta must release detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi if it is serious about making the democratic reforms demanded by the international community, a UN envoy said.

Burma’s ruling military junta must release detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi if it is serious about making the democratic reforms demanded by the international community, a UN envoy said today.

A United Nations investigator said today his five-day mission to Burma had enabled him to determine the number of people killed and detained in the government’s brutal crackdown on protesters.

A UN human rights envoy who has returned to Burma after a four-year ban spoke to officials today about plans to visit prisons.

A UN human rights envoy is due to arrive in Burma today on a mission to find out how many people were killed and detained during the regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Burma’s detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi met today with an official from the ruling junta.

UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Burma today for his second effort to reconcile the ruling military and its pro-democracy opponents.

At least 70 people held by Burma’s military government following the huge street protests, including 50 members of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, have been released, it was announced today.

A UN envoy began a second day of talks today to push China to do more to get Burma’s military junta to stop its crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

The White House has poured scorn on the Burma junta’s move to ease restrictions after its violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

The White House has poured scorn on the Burma junta’s move to ease restrictions after its violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Burma’s military rulers today lifted a curfew and ended a ban on assembly, which were imposed last month during a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

The UN’s envoy to Burma suggested today that the country’s military rulers should be offered incentives to move toward democratic reforms.

Burma’s military junta said today that it had detained nearly 3,000 protesters who took part in the pro-democracy uprising and vowed to continue the ruthless crackdown.

A top UN envoy arrived in Thailand today to renew efforts to negotiate political reconciliation in neighbouring Burma where the ruling junta crushed peaceful pro-democracy protests and continues to detain dissidents.

Burmese security forces blocked off a sprawling section of Rangoon today for a government-orchestrated mass rally in support of the military regime, amid growing pressure on the junta to negotiate with the pro-democracy opposition.

Burma’s opposition party today urged the ruling junta to agree UN demands to free political prisoners and open talks with democracy campaigners.

In its first-ever statement on Burma, the UN Security Council said it "strongly deplores" the government's violent crackdown on protesters.

Burma’s ruling military lashed out at Western powers and foreign media today for fomenting recent protests that were put down in a brutal crackdown.

Burma’s ruling junta said today it hoped to achieve “smooth relations” with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a day after suggesting that she was unlikely to be released from house arrest anytime soon.

A day of global protests against Burma’s junta began in cities across Asia today, after the military regime admitted detaining hundreds of Buddhist monks when troops turned their guns on pro-democracy demonstrators last week.

The top US diplomat in Burma was summoned today for rare talks with the hardline government a day after its leader announced a conditional offer to meet detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has admitted his special envoy’s meeting with Burma’s military leaders about their violent crackdown on democracy activists did not achieve anything.

A United Nations envoy remained tight-lipped today about his meetings with Burma’s junta chief and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in a highly-watched mission that followed the regime’s deadly crackdown on democracy protesters.

A United Nations envoy met Burma’s military leader today as the junta’s foreign minister defended a deadly crackdown on democracy protesters that provoked global revulsion.

Human rights pressure group Amnesty International today urged the UN Security Council to ban all arms sales to Burma.

A UN envoy is hoping to meet Burma's top two military leaders today to persuade them to ease a violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Ireland should boycott the 2008 Olympics in Beijing if China doesn’t use its influence on the political crisis in Burma, Trocaire said today.

Burma’s ruling junta in his bid to find a peaceful solution to the crisis that has engulfed the impoverished country.

A UN envoy held back-to-back meetings today with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s military rulers, trying to find a peaceful solution to the crisis that has engulfed the impoverished country.

Protesters ventured out onto the streets of Rangoon today in defiance of a brutal military crackdown by the Burmese regime.

Burma’s main political and economic allies, China and Japan, joined other nations around the world in urging the country to use peaceful means to restore stability.

There were signs that pro-democracy protests could be weakening in Burma after soldiers and police took control of the streets, firing warning shots to scatter the few demonstrators who ventured out and sealing off Buddhist monasteries.

Gordon Brown today condemned the violence used by Burma’s security forces as they crack down on protests on the streets of Rangoon.

Burma’s ruthless crackdown on protest marchers appeared to be taking hold today.

David Miliband has called on Burma’s military junta to allow peaceful protests on the streets of Rangoon.

Security Council members are optimistic that a key meeting next month on the Israel-Palestinian conflict will help revive the stalled peace process, Russia’s UN ambassador said.

A UN official who held a rare meeting with Burma's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said today she seemed "reasonably well" and alert but needs more regular medical attention.

A top UN official held a rare meeting with detained Nobel laureate and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi today during a mission to press Burma's military junta to promote democracy and human rights, officials said.

Burma’s ruling military junta extended the detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi today, defying international pressure to free the Nobel laureate.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today appealed to the leader of Burma’s ruling junta to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a day before her house arrest order was set to expire.

Hezbollah guerrillas clashed with Israeli soldiers on the southern Lebanese border today, reviving a two-day old confrontation that saw some of the heaviest fighting in years.