Wounded Georgians tell of surprise

The soldiers, trained by US and Israeli advisers, are gung-ho about returning to the fray once they recover and re-equip

Police chief fired after murders in Antigua

The homicide rate on the Caribbean island where Benjamin and Catherine Mullany died is ten times that of London

Burning borders define new conflict

New political fault lines can be seen by the swath of burning Georgian villages marking the de facto border with Russia

Security chip injects hope into Mexicans

A £2,200 transmitter that can be tracked by satellite aims to offer security as the kidnapping rate soars ahead of Colombia

Solidarity anniversary marked with pay protest

About 18,000 workers took to the streets of Warsaw in a march organised by Poland’s main trade union to demand higher wages

World in brief

Civilians told to flee Tamil Tiger territories | Aid ban lifted | Builders reveal boats | Last veteran dies | Tower out-leans Pisa

Islamic world prepares for month of Ramadan

Military forces in the Philippines vow not to hamper observance of the holy month, but reject calls to halt offensive against rebels

Obama’s rhetoric may fail nearer home

Despite having feasted on their nominee’s Middle America oratory, some Democrats left Denver with a familiar anxiety

History? It’s enough to make you cry

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President in front of a crowd even bigger than that of John F. Kennedy

McCain portrays himself as transformational

John McCain will use his nominating convention to emerge as a conservative maverick, but independent from President Bush

Zardari’s funds returned as court case is closed

Money-laundering case against Asif Ali Zardari, the man poised to take over as Pakistan’s next president, has been dropped

Hacker in final plea to stop extradition

UFO fanatic who hacked into US military computers is to be extradited to the US where he faces up to 80 years in prison

McCain picks female governor as running mate

Sarah Palin, 44, a mother-of-five who has been in office in Alaska for only two years, is picked by McCain in a surprise move

Mexico drug war spreads to tourist area

The discovery of a dozen decapitated bodies has shocked the tranquil Yucatan peninsula, home to popular beach resorts

'Clockwork Orange' friar had protected prostitute

Italian monks beaten in savage 'Clockwork Orange' style attack may have been targeted after protecting prostitute from gang

Lockerbie families greedy, says Gaddafi son

Libyan leader's son says bomb victim families traded 'with blood of sons and daughters' in compensation demands

Quotes of the convention

The best of the week: who said what in Denver

Obama reels off same-old promises

While his speech addressed problems that have weakened his campaign, it may in the end have done some new damage

Obama: 'the change we need is coming'

In speech in front of 75,000, he asked Democrats to elect him to 'restore America's promise' Watch the speech

Is Jeff Koons grand enough for Versailles?

French traditionalists fear identity of nation will be 'sullied' if King of Kitsch holds exhibition in historic palace