World News Headlines

20 July 2008 08:24 BST

Prime minister refuses to set Iraq withdrawal date

Prime minister Gordon Brown arrives in Baghdad on surprise visit

British troop levels in Iraq will decline but no specific date for withdrawal is to be set, according to prime minister Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown has arrived in Iraq for surprise talks with top Iraqi officials, a week ahead of a scheduled statement regarding the future involvement of British troops in the Middle Eastern country.

And after Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki supported a proposal by US presidential hopeful... Full Story

'No clear answer' after Iran nuclear talks
Multilateral talks over Iran's controversial nuclear programme have revealed "no clear answer", according to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. Full Story
US presidential candidate Obama begins international tour
US presidential candidate Barack Obama has arrived in Afghanistan on the first leg of an international tour. Full Story
Sri Lankan government says 19 rebels killed in operations
The government of Sri Lanka has announced the deaths of 19 members of the Tamil Tigers in military operations in the country.
Full Story

Iraq troop withdrawal is 'aspirational goal'
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino has said the US would not commit to a fixed timetable for withdrawing forces from Iraq.
Full Story

News By Region

World In Focus

The politics of outrage
A presumptive presidential nominee, dressed up as a terrorist? It's no surprise Barack Obama was offended. Full Story

World In Conversation

Beating the filibuster
As veterans of the 2000 election will know, every vote counts in US politics. Full Story

World In Brief

The world in June
Robert Mugabe, the Lisbon treaty and Barack Obama all made headlines in June. Full Story

World at a glance

In Focus

'Dead soldiers for terrorists'
Yesterday's highly-significant Israeli-Hizbullah prisoner exchange has prompted very different reactions either side of the border. Full Story

Sudan – a long way from peace
Efforts to secure a peace agreement in Darfur appear to be stymied by the region's deep political complexities Full Story

The development conundrum
When agonising about how to make poverty history, nothing is sacred – not even the millennium development goals (MDGs). Full Story