U.N. nuclear body and Iran clash over barred inspectors | Reuters

Iran's International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA ambassador Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh (R) reacts as he attends a board of governors meeting at the UN headquarters in Vienna September 13, 2010.

South Korea donates $8.5m aid to North Korean flood victims

The head of South Korea's Red Cross said the issue of separated families was 'an urgent matter'. Photograph: Lee Jin-Man/AP
South Korea announced today that it would send food and other aid to tens of thousands of flood victims in
North Korea, in another sign that cross-border tensions are easing.

Nelson Mandela 'felt betrayed by Tony Blair over decision to join Iraq invasion'

Nelson Mandela with Tony Blair in May 2007. Photograph: Jerome Delay/AP
Nelson Mandela felt so betrayed by Tony Blair's decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq that he launched a fiery tirade against him in a phone call to a cabinet minister, it emerged today.

Swaziland pro-democracy protesters threatened with torture

King Mswati III of Swaziland is Africa's last absolute monarch. Photograph: Gianluigi Guerica/AFP/Getty Images
Swaziland has threatened pro-democracy activists with torture as tensions in sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarchy continue to grow.

US health workers to face charges in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV rates in the world and thousands of orphans whose parents have died of Aids. Photograph: Howard Burditt/Reuters
A group of volunteers for an American health clinic is due to appear in court in Zimbabwe today accused of operating an unregistered clinic and dispensing Aids drugs without a licence.

Moscow mayor fights to keep job | World news

Yuri Luzhkov and Dmitry Medvedev. Photograph: Dmitry Astakhov/AFP/Getty Images
Moscow's veteran mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, is fighting to keep his job after an unprecedented Kremlin-sanctioned TV documentary accused him of caring more about his bee collection than the people of his city

Iran demands $500,000 to free US hiker Sarah Shourd

Iran has demanded $500,000 for the release of American hiker Sarah Shourd, but the fate of her companions is unclear. Photograph: AP
Iran said today that it would free one of the three American hikers it has held as spies for more than a year on bail of $500,000 (£325,722). But the fate of her friends remains unclear amid controversy in Tehran.

Mexican marines capture alleged drug lord El Grande

Mexican marines arrest alleged Beltrán Levya leader Sergio Villarreal, the alleged drug lord known as 'El Grande' Photograph: Ho/REUTERS
Mexican marines captured Sergio Villarreal Barragán, an alleged leader of the embattled Beltrán Leyva cartel and one of the country's most-wanted fugitives, in a raid yesterday in the central state of Puebla, the authorities said.

Trapped Chilean miners persuade authorities to send in cigarettes

A rescuer packs supplies to be sent to the trapped miners through a tube at San Jose mine, near Copiapo in Chile. Photograph: Luis Hidalgo/AFP/Getty Images
When the movie comes to be made, it may be the moment to rival Humphrey Bogart lighting up a cigarette in Casablanca or Lauren Bacall asking for a match in To Have and Have Not.

Palestinians killed by Israeli tank fire | World news

At least three Palestinians have been killed and five wounded by Israeli tank fire in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Hamas security officials.

One report said that a 91-year-old man and his 33-year-old grandson were among the dead.