Russian tanks and troops are still in and around Georgian towns, days after Moscow declared its military operation was over. For the second day running Georgian police have been trying to persuade Russian troops to leave the town of Gori, after rejecting Russian demands yesterday for joint security patrols.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Serbia said on Friday it would seek an opinion from the International Court of Justice on whether Kosovo’s declaration of independence was legal and that Belgrade would abide by whatever the court said.

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) – A roadside bomb struck a minibus packed with pilgrims bound for Iraq’s holy Shi’ite city of Kerbala on Friday as authorities deployed more than 40,000 police and soldiers to avert new violence in the annual rite.

KABUL (Reuters) – Insurgents killed two soldiers from NATO-led forces in an attack in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

MADRID (Reuters) – Prince Kardam of Bulgaria, the eldest son of the former king of Bulgaria, was seriously injured when his car crashed into a tree on a Madrid highway on Friday, a traffic police spokesman said.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has so far been unable to contact Russian President Dmitry Medvedev by telephone to discuss the crisis in Georgia, a U.N. spokesman said on Friday.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on Friday said he had signed a ceasefire agreement ending hostilities with Russia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

IGOETI, Georgia (Reuters) – A Russian military convoy advanced to within 55 km (34 miles) of Tbilisi on Friday, a Reuters witness said, in the deepest incursion since conflict with Georgia erupted last week.

GENEVA/MOSCOW (Reuters) – The United Nations and Red Cross have poured hundreds of tonnes of aid supplies into Georgia but need better security conditions before deploying in South Ossetia, the two bodies said on Friday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Asia can provide the finance Iran needs to develop its oil and gas reserves, the world’s second largest, limiting the impact of US sanctions and pressure, a top Iranian oil official said on Thursday.