News in English

At least 12 Russian servicemen were killed when rebels ambushed two Russian military vehicles in forested mountains in Chechnya, officials said today.

A top US military commander has requested the equivalent of two mobile combat brigades to help the campaign to put down Iraqi insurgents.

United Nations peacekeepers in the Liberian capital have arrested up to 250 people following days of unrest in which at least 14 people died.

A series of grenade blasts in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, has killed at least 13 people.

A TAIWANESE-American forensics expert, who has worked on several high-profile US criminal cases, wrapped up a brief fact-finding trip to Taiwan today, saying he was unable to tell whether President Chen Shui-bian staged a mysterious shooting that injured him one day before his narrow re-election last month.

Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson attended the signing of an agreement on wealth-sharing in Naivasha, Kenya, on Wednesday, which will be part of the final peace agreement between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM.

NATO could play a welcome role in helping with the growing number of international peacekeeping missions in Africa, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said yesterday.

A strong earthquake has hit north-eastern Afghanistan, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed today to stand firm in the face of a deadly Iraqi insurgency - just hours before a new hostage video showed a US soldier held by gunmen.

EU membership key issue for 2005 election campaign, says JaglandForeign Minister thinks Poland’s yes will boost support for Norwegian membershipGovernment may be forced into NOK 1 billion public spending increaseStoltenberg accuses Government of conning pensioners Krekar to stay in NorwayPay cuts will save regional jobsRøkke could lose NOK 750 millionCar ferry safety improvements could cost NOK 6.6 billion Today’s comment from Aftenposten