A NUMBER of European tourists have been kidnapped in the remote desert of northern Ethiopia.

France tonight urged a firm, unified response to the UN nuclear watchdog’s findings that Iran has again defied international demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

European Union officials said today they were cautiously optimistic about a Palestinian power-sharing deal reached by Hamas and Fatah political leaders in Saudi Arabia, but said it was too early to lift an international aid embargo against the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

The European Union today called on all countries to enforce limited sanctions against Iran that the United Nations security council approved last year in a bid to force Tehran back to the negotiating table to discuss its nuclear program.

Senior Russian defense ministry official Vladimir Shamanov said today that more US troops in Iraq “won’t be able to radically change the situation with ensuring peace and security".

French prime minister Dominique de Villepin today wrapped up a gruelling 17-hour-long grilling by judges investigating a suspected smear campaign against presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy.

Bulgarian and EU leaders have condemned today’s convictions in Libya of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death for allegedly infecting 400 children with the HIV virus.

European Union foreign ministers today struggled to agree on how to sanction Turkey for refusing to open its ports to trade with EU member Cyprus.

France’s foreign minister today said Iran would face UN sanctions over its nuclear programme, but major powers were still divided on how far punishment should go.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today warned Europe against backing proposed UN measures against its nuclear programme, saying Iran would respond by downgrading relations with the EU.

The European Commission has threatened Turkey with the possible suspension of membership talks unless it does more to protect human rights and implements a customs pact with EU member Cyprus.

North Korea must face “some punitive actions” for testing a nuclear device, China’s UN ambassador said today, a sign that Beijing may be willing to impose Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.

World powers trying to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions are drawing up sanctions if Tehran fails to agree quickly to suspend uranium enrichment and return to negotiations.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted today that Tehran does not need atomic weapons and he is “at a loss” about what more he can do to prove that.

EU foreign ministers in plan to signal strong support today for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ bid to form a national unity government.

Iran is ready to comply – at least temporarily – with a UN Security Council demand that it freeze uranium enrichment and has said so at talks with a senior European negotiator, diplomats said today.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today that Europe had agreed to provide more than half of an expanded peacekeeping force for Lebanon, with nearly 7,000 troops, and he hoped the “strong, credible and robust” force would be able to deploy in days, not weeks.

The six world powers studying Iran’s response to their offer of nuclear negotiations are likely to reject Tehran’s terms for talks because they do not refer to the possibility of freezing uranium enrichment, diplomats said today.

The Bush administration says a proposal by Iran for nuclear negotiations falls short of UN demands that it cease uranium enrichment as the US began plotting unspecified “next moves” with other governments.

Syria opposes the deployment of an international force along its border to prevent arms shipments to Hezbollah, and Israel is calling the situation in Lebanon “explosive”.

The United States said today an offer by Iran to hold negotiations on its nuclear weapons but not to halt enriching uranium falls short of UN demands.

EU countries will wait for the outcome of UN talks tomorrow before announcing what contributions they might make to a planned international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, an EU diplomat said today.

The French foreign minister today called for Israel to lift its air, naval and land blockade of Lebanon, saying it was unnecessary with the UN ceasefire plan holding.

French President Jacques Chirac today appealed to the United States to speed up its response to Arab nations’ demands for changes to a UN resolution on ending the Middle East crisis.

FRENCH and American diplomats last night said they were getting closer to a common UN resolution for stopping the fighting in Lebanon.

French and American diplomats were getting closer to a common UN resolution for stopping the fighting in Lebanon, France’s foreign minister said today, but emphasised there was still progress to be made.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is expected in Beirut later today in the first visit by an Iranian official to war-hit Lebanon since fighting broke out between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah guerrillas.

US, EUROPEAN and Arab officials holding crisis talks on Lebanon have failed to agree on an immediate plan to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Top US and European officials today called for an end to the violence in Israel and Lebanon and the establishment of an international force to keep the peace – but they did not unanimously call for an immediate ceasefire or provide details on the proposed force.

At least two people were killed today as rockets fired by Hezbollah guerrillas pounded the northern Israeli city of Haifa, police said.

France mobilised to send urgent aid to Lebanon, the Red Cross managed to get relief supplies to the south, and Israel agreed to allow a safe corridor for ensuring that food and medicine reaches those in need.

Israeli troops and tanks massed on Lebanon’s border today and officials said the army was preparing for a limited incursion in Lebanon in the near future.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today shrugged off the decision to refer Iran’s nuclear programme to the UN Security Council, saying his country would never abandon its plans for the peaceful exploitation of atomic power.

World powers agreed today to send Iran back to the UN Security Council for possible punishment, saying the country has given no sign it means to negotiate seriously over its disputed nuclear programme.

US President George W Bush said yesterday “the world is united and concerned” about Iran’s suspected desire to build nuclear weapons and said he will work with other countries to achieve a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

The European Union today condemned the “despicable” bombings at a popular beach resort in Egypt, and leaders across Europe said they were standing with the Egyptian government against terrorist attacks.

French President Jacques Chirac stormed out of a European summit meeting today to protest a speech in English by a top French business executive.

Russia’s foreign minister said he expects the Palestinian group Hamas to move closer to meeting international demands within two weeks – including setting up foreign aid monitoring and recognising Israel, according to a newspaper interview published today.

Senior European Union officials stressed that a diplomatic solution over Iran’s nuclear programme is still possible but also appeared to leave open the possibility of Tehran being hit by sanctions.

The European Union today threatened to cut off aid to a Hamas-led Palestinian government “unless it seeks peace by peaceful means,” in its strongest signal on the issue to date.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy today urged Iran to return rapidly to “reason” as the stand-off over its nuclear program moved to the UN Security Council.

EU powers and Iran failed to strike a deal in last-ditch nuclear talks that would block possible UN Security Council action over Western fears Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons.

Talks in Vienna between European Union negotiators and Iran over its nuclear ambitions broke up today without any agreement, ministers said.

The European Union agreed today to provide £82.1m (€120.4m) in urgent aid for Palestinians before a Palestinian government takes office, led by Hamas, a group the European Union considers a terrorist organisation.