Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accuses the United States of provoking the conflict in Georgia.

Barack Obama is to formally accept his historic nomination for the White House in a speech at the Democrats' convention.

Three men who were being questioned about an alleged threat to kill Gordon Brown are charged with terror offences.

Tropical Storm Gustav has made landfall over Jamaica, with meteorologists warning it could strengthen into a hurricane "at any time".

Canada's PM says all large ships entering the Northwest Passage and other Arctic waters must register with its Coast Guard.

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted Tarique Rahman eight-week bail in the Bashundhara bribery case, the last of the 13 cases he faces, removing the last barrier to his release from detention, his lawyer said.

The government launched a 20-year Strategic Transport Plan for the greater Dhaka area on Thursday, to include an underground metro, overground mass and rapid transit systems, east-west connecting roads and new flyovers, for easing travel and traffic congestion in the capital.

Prisons authorities have yet to receive all documents on bails secured by the BNP senior joint secretary general, said a senior prisons official Thursday.

Foreign adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury had bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday, at the sidelines of the 10th ministerial meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation in New Delhi.

Khulna and Rajshahi mayors-elect Talukder Abdul Khaleque and AHM Khairuzzaman Liton resigned their Awami League posts on Thursday ahead of their oath-taking ceremony to take place by Sep 11, government officials said.

Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club became the last team to reach the semifinals of the Citycell Federation Cup when the port city side defeated Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan 4-2 in a tiebreaker at Bangabandhu National Stadium Thursday.

Former general secretary Shamsul Bari Thursday bagged the highest number of votes to be elected number one member in the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) election at the National Sports Council.

Former Brazil striker Rivaldo has left AEK Athens to join Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor, the Greek Super League club has announced.

Jacques Kallis will take over from the injured Graeme Smith as South Africa captain for the third one day international against England, coach Mickey Arthur said on Thursday.

In Beijing, China trounced the US in the contest for gold medals. In the Caucasus, Russia inflicted a humiliating military defeat on Georgia, America's closest ally in the region. At home, the US economy is in deep trouble. Reuters columnist Bernd Debusmann writes.