World highlights

¤ Thousands of people massed peacefully outside the office of beleaguered Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, their leaders vowing they would stay until he quit.

Thaksin said he would declare a state of emergency if things got out of hand in the latest phase of a growing campaign to oust him, an act that could bring troops onto the streets of a country with a long and relatively recent history of coups.

¤ Iran and Russia held more nuclear talks as the UN Security Council prepared to consider US-led demands that it send a "very strong message" to Tehran over its suspected weapons programme.

The closed-door talks in Moscow were launched at Iran's request on Monday, the same day that Russia accused Tehran of obstructing efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

¤ Lebanese leaders agreed at national talks to disarm Palestinian factions outside refugee camps within six months and called for full diplomatic ties with Syria.

But the officials meeting to end a political crisis that has paralysed the country did not agree on the two hottest issues: disarming the pro-Syrian Hizbollah guerilla group and the fate of pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud.

¤ US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised Indonesia's "moderate policies", courting an Islamic country she hopes will improve Washington's image in a region where anti-American sentiment is growing.

Ms Rice, on a two-day visit to the world's most populous Muslim nation, tried to counter strong criticism among many in Indonesia and elsewhere over the US invasion of Iraq and its actions in fighting terrorism.

¤ French President Jacques Chirac offered "total and unreserved" support to his embattled prime minister, who faces mass demonstrations against a youth job law protesters have vowed to defeat.

Fresh marches were planned in Paris and around France to demand the withdrawal of the CPE "first job contract", the latest in a series of rolling actions this week that have disrupted around half of France's 80-odd universities.