ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Eight police officers and three soldiers were wounded on Thursday by a car bomb which ripped through a minibus in the western Turkish city of Izmir, the local governor said. Television pictures showed clouds of smoke rising from the scene of the explosion as concerned residents looked …

His visit was brief but its message was clear. As French soldiers mourn 10 comrades killed in Afghanistan, Nicolas Sarkozy has told the military its mission is essential and must continue.

Russia is continuing to show no sign of yielding to Western pressure to hasten its withdrawal from Georgia. Germany, Russia’s largest trading partner, has become the latest major power to express impatience over the pace of the pull-out – which is turning into scepticism over Moscow’s intentions.