Life's A Picnic

South Ossetia to join 'united Russian state'

Kremlin tightens grip on breakaway regions with plans to absorb them into Russia and open military bases in South Ossetia

Karadzic refuses to enter plea at The Hague

Judge forced to enter 11 not guilty pleas by default after Serbian war crimes suspect refuses to recognise the court

Wounded Georgians tell of surprise

The soldiers, trained by US and Israeli advisers, are gung-ho about returning to the fray once they recover and re-equip

Burning borders define new conflict

New political fault lines can be seen by the swath of burning Georgian villages marking the de facto border with Russia

Solidarity anniversary marked with pay protest

About 18,000 workers took to the streets of Warsaw in a march organised by Poland’s main trade union to demand higher wages

Rewards are easy, punishment is hard

The most likely outcome of the EU summit is a gift basket of trade, aid, and partnerships offered to Georgia and Ukraine

Calais rapist could have fled to Britain

Man who brutally attacked a London journalism student at French migrant camp could have fled to the UK, police said today

'Clockwork Orange' friar had protected prostitute

Italian monks beaten in savage 'Clockwork Orange' style attack may have been targeted after protecting prostitute from gang

Is Jeff Koons grand enough for Versailles?

French traditionalists fear identity of nation will be 'sullied' if King of Kitsch holds exhibition in historic palace

Putin accuses White House over Georgia

Cold War rhetoric increases with Vladimir Putin claiming President Bush orchestrated the war to help John McCain

Revenge killer hailed hero joins Ossetian war

Vitali Kaloyev, hailed as a hero for revenge killing after wife and children died, joins war to help Ossetian neighbours

Analysis: Kremlin sees a threat, Nato an exercise

To Russia, the Western naval presence looks threatening, but the ships are all involved in preplanned training and exercising

Student raped in French illegal migrants camp

A woman studying at an English journalism school was attacked in a makeshift camp in Calais housing illegal immigrants

Rebels in 'ethnic cleansing'

Georgians in a Russian army buffer zone are being subjected to a campaign of violence and murder, officials tell The Times

Putin - Bush provoked conflict to help McCain

Russian PM makes his most explosive allegation yet as one of his generals claims to have found US passport in Georgia

EU surprise over sanctions

France hints at sanctions over Georgia conflict, but privately EU officials are aware that consensus unlikely at summit next week

No grand opening for blighted bridge

Plans for President Napolitano to open Venice's first new bridge for 70 years are scrapped after outcry from critics

Monks hit by 'Clockwork Orange' assault

Four monks were set upon by hooded men who gagged and bound them before beating them with clubs at Turin monastery

Putin ratchets up Cold War fears over Black Sea

The Kremlin raised tensions further with a warning about 'direct confrontation' between American and Russian warships

Doubts over French role in Afghanistan

Parliamentary vote after ambush killed ten soldiers and wounded 21 casts doubts over French military role in Afghanistan