NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice piled new criticism on Russia as she met with its foreign minister on Wednesday in their first encounter since Moscow’s incursion into Georgia last month.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistani security forces have killed 25 Islamist militants in fighting on the Afghan border while security was stepped up at airports across the country on Thursday after a telephone threat, officials said.

The Quartet of international powers has “lost its grip” on the Middle East peace process which it is meant to foster, a group of aid agencies says.