AFP - Russia hopes to further boost ties with Saudi Arabia, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday during talks with Saudi Arabia's Security Council chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan.

AFP - A BBC report alleging that China is breaking a United Nations arms embargo on Sudan is biased, the Chinese special envoy to Darfur said in comments published here on Tuesday.

AFP - The United Nations prepared on Tuesday to fly non-essential staff from Darfur as supporters of Sudan President Omar al-Beshir planned protests in Khartoum to denounce the world court prosecutor's call for him to be arrested for alleged war crimes.

AP - The leaders of Syria and Israel, countries with a bitter enmity, as well as the Palestinian and Lebanese presidents together marked France's Bastille Day on Monday in a diplomatic coup for French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Reuters - Russia made no commitment at last week's Group of Eight summit to back U.N. sanctions against Zimbabwe so it cannot be accused of a U-turn, a senior Russian diplomat said on Monday.

AP - Sudan's ambassador says his nation will try to persuade the U.N. Security Council to block a prosecutor from pursuing genocide charges against the Sudanese president.

AFP - China is breaking the United Nations arms embargo on Sudan, providing military equipment and training pilots to fly Chinese jets, the BBC said Sunday, citing an investigation by its journalists.

AFP - China and Russia on Friday vetoed a US draft resolution in the UN Security Council that would have slapped targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe over his disputed re-election.

Reuters - Zimbabwe on Saturday welcomed the failure of a Western-backed U.N. Security Council resolution to impose sanctions over its violent presidential elections, calling it a victory over racism and meddling in its affairs.

AFP - Britain pledged Saturday to return to the UN Security Council over Zimbabwe if there is no quick end to violence after a bid to pass sanctions against Robert Mugabe was vetoed by Russia and China.

AFP - President Robert Mugabe's government was triumphant Saturday at the failure of a UN bid to impose fresh sanctions on Zimbabwe as Britain pledged to return to the Security Council if political violence continued.

AFP - Britain on Friday expressed disappointment at the veto of a draft UN Security Council resolution to impose tough new sanctions on Zimbabwe, singling out Russia for criticism.

AFP - China and Russia on Friday blocked a US draft resolution in the UN Security Council that would have slapped sanctions on Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe over his disputed re-election.