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Five days after the devastating cyclone in Burma that left an estimated million people in need of help, the first United Nation's flight carrying aid has landed in Rangoon. The British Minister Douglas Alexander said that the cyclone would have overwhelmed a developed country, and it was important that Burma accepted all offers it had received. Here is our world affairs correspondent Mike Wordage.

The first UN flight carrying critically needed high-energy biscuits arrived in Burma this morning. Two other UN flights that'd been waiting for clearance to fly in, now apparently have it and are expected to head towards Burma in the coming hours. A fourth flight will be held until the handling capacity in Rangoon becomes clearer. The UN also says four disaster specialists have finally been issued with visas. But the proposed American military aid flight is an example of what was described by the British government today as mixed signals from Burma. The American said they thought they had a decision from the Burmese leaders to let the plane in. But now they say they don't, yet.

Reports from Burma say that there was little or no food and clean water. Many desperate survivors are forced to scavenge for anything they can get. But as our correspondent in Indonesia Lucy Williamson reports some aid is also on its way to Burma from Jakarta.

Two planes have just taken off from the Halim Air Base here in Jakarta due to land early on Friday morning in Rangoon. They're carrying 25 tons of food, medicine and blankets for the victims of the cyclone there. Indonesia has always been very mild in its criticism of Burma's human rights record. And now, it's Jakarta that Burma is turning to in his hour of needs.

The Lebanese army has warned that its unity will be threatened if the political crisis in Beirut continues. In recent years the army has been seen as one of Lebanon’s most neutral institutions. The correspondent said recent clashes between rival factions could draw it into the conflict.

Many shops, schools and offices remain closed, since people either can't get to work or are nervous about moving around. The main roads to the city's international airport are blocked by barricades of burning tyres and bulldozed earthworks, manned by the militants from Hezbollah or their allies. The final approach to the airport can only be done on foot. So flights have been cancelled for the second day running. On the main thoroughfare dividing Beirut itself from the mainly Shiite southern suburbs, the army is out in force.

The Russian parliament has overwhelmingly approved the appointment of Vladimir Putin as Prime Minister a day after he handed over the presidency to his protege Dmitry Medvedev. The vote follows months of political maneuvering in Russia to ensure that Mr. Putin remains at the heart of power after the end of his presidential term. In a speech before the vote, Mr. Putin said his priority as Prime Minister would be to galvanise the economy.