World News

German deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler accused Georgia of violating international law by triggering a military conflict with Russia in the separatist Caucasus region of South Ossetia, the press reported Saturday

AFP reports that according to Gernot Erler, deputy to german foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Georgia is breaking international law by launching military action to reclaim South Ossetia.

The build up of naval forces in the Gulf will be one of the largest multi-national naval armadas since the First and Second Gulf Wars. The intent is to create a US/EU naval blockade (which is an Act of War under international law) around Iran. The neo-cons are counting on such a blockade launching a war with Iran.

A Georgian government minister says Georgian troops have captured five villages in the pro-Russian breakaway region of South Ossetia and are surrounding the region's capital, Tskhinvali. Earlier reports said the city was under heavy shelling from Georgian-controlled areas.

Georgia's leader is calling for an immediate cease-fire in the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russian warplanes carried out new airstrikes against Georgian military targets Saturday, as fighting between the two sides reportedly spread to another disputed region. Emma Stickgold reports from Moscow.

Fierce fighting is continuing between Russian and Georgian forces in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, forcing hundreds of civilians to flee their homes.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, the U.N. Security Council has been unable to agree on a course of action to stop the escalating violence in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that 1,500 people have been killed in South Ossetia since the start of Georgia's attack on the breakaway republic.

The European Union imposed new trade sanctions against Iran Friday, as Tehran continues to hold out against international demands that it freeze its nuclear enrichment program.

The Georgian military attacked the capital of breakaway South Ossetia on Friday with tanks and infantry and bombed a village, despite a ceasefire declared by Georgia, the separatist government said.

Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin says he believes that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should be consigned to history.

Fighting between Georgian forces and separatists broke out Thursday just hours after Georgia's President Saakashvili called for an immediate cease-fire.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warns Georgia and Ukraine of serious consequences if they continue with plans to join NATO.

Italy has deployed thousands of troops across the country in an effort to combat crime. While many Italians appear to be in favor of the move, some have criticized the move as a government attempt to improve its image.

Prominent journalist Seymour Hersh exposes details of a plan considered by US Vice President Dick Cheney on how to provoke war with Iran.