At dawn on July 4 Russian military and Moscow-backed Chechen police blockaded the village of Kotar-Yurt in the Achkhoy-Martanovsky district, with the support of a large quantity of armour. After closing off all routes in and out of the village, soldiers and police began a large-scale passport check.

TEHRAN (AP) — Iran rejected calls Tuesday for a quick answer to the package of Western incentives aimed at persuading it to suspend its controversial nuclear programme, insisting that it will come up with a formal response by mid-August. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran had to take time to …

Palestinian rocket hits vacant Israeli school as troops kill activist GAZA CITY — It has been hot and humid in Gaza in the past days. In itself, the weather is uncomfortable, but with electricity often out at night and no recourse to fans or air conditioning, people have hardly been …