1. Boats reach Gaza despite blockade

Two vessels carrying 46 international human rights activists have reached the Gaza Strip, despite Israel's strict 14-month siege of the Palestinian territory.

24/08/2008

2. Bomber kills Awakening group leader

A suicide bomber dressed in a woman's robe has detonated explosives in a heavily guarded Sunni area of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing the deputy leader of US-backed security volunteers, Iraqi officials said.

18/08/2008

3. Botswana leader snubs SADC summit

Seretse Khama Ian Khama, Botswana's president, has boycotted a weekend summit of southern African leaders because his country does not recognise the re-election of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, the foreign ministry said.

17/08/2008

4. Bomb blast rocks north Lebanon

A bomb explosion in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has killed at least 12 people and left 40 others injured, according to security officials.

13/08/2008

5. Bomb blast kills Somali civilians

At least 20 people have died after a bomb hidden under a pile of rubbish exploded in Somalia's capital, according to witnesses.

03/08/2008

6. Bush highlights Iraq 'progress'

George Bush, the US president, has said that the violence in Iraq had fallen to its lowest point since 2004 and that progress on the ground is showing a "degree of durability".

01/08/2008