Japan, N. Korea move to restart formal talks
Japan and North Korea are moving to restart formal government-level talks, a foreign ministry official said Thursday, after a shift over the contentious issue of Pyongyang's past abductions of Japanese citizens.
Russia's expulsion from G8 must be discussed: Cameron
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday that G7 nations meeting next week must discuss the permanent expulsion of Russia from the wider G8 if it takes further action to destabilise Ukraine.
Japan PM threatens Moscow with more sanctions over Crimea
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned Russia for violating Ukraine's territorial integrity and threatened to impose further sanctions against Moscow over its role in the Crimean crisis.
19 March 2014 15:10
Merkel, Obama condemn 'unacceptable blows' to Ukraine
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Barack Obama in a phone call condemned Russia's moves to annex Crimea but said "a clear path" remains to solve the crisis diplomatically.
19 March 2014 11:48
US Congress to Obama: Stand tough on Iran
An overwhelming majority of US lawmakers demanded President Barack Obama hold the line on Iran, as a permanent agreement regarding the Islamic republic's contested nuclear program is under negotiation in Vienna.
19 March 2014 10:40
Kazakhstan on the Crimean referendum
Kazakhstan speaks in favor of a peaceful way out of the crisis in Ukraine and in favor of overcoming the crisis through negotiations under the aegis of the UN: Foreign Ministry.
19 March 2014 09:00
Marshalls govt wins confidence vote over Lebanese general
The government of the Marshall Islands on Tuesday defeated a motion of no confidence brought after it nominated a former Lebanese general -- a suspect in a deadly bombing -- as its ambassador to UNESCO.
Xi, Obama to meet at nuclear summit: China
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama will hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in the Netherlands next week.
95.5 percent in Crimea vote to secede from Ukraine
Crimea will formally apply to join Russia on Monday after voting to split from Ukraine as Europe prepared to hit Moscow with a wave of sanctions in the worst East-West stand-off since the Cold War.
17 March 2014 13:03
Obama to Putin: US readying 'additional costs' over Crimea
President Barack Obama hinted at possible additional sanctions on Russia, warning his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the United States and its allies would "never" recognize Crimea's breakaway vote Sunday.
17 March 2014 10:08
US offers $3 mn reward for Somali terror suspects
US officials offered a $3 million reward Friday for help in capturing three notorious Somali terror suspects, including one linked to Al-Qaeda extremists involved in the 1998 US embassy bombings in Africa.
15 March 2014 17:30
Syria foreign minister has heart op in Beirut
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who led the regime's negotiating team at failed peace talks this year, underwent a successful heart operation in neighbouring Lebanon on Friday, Syrian television reported.
15 March 2014 14:43
Austria prepares to extradite Ukraine oligarch to US
Austrian authorities said Friday that Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash had been placed in "extradition custody", the first step towards a possible extradition to the United States.
15 March 2014 14:13
Detained China activist dies after critical illness
A Chinese human rights activist died on Friday after falling critically ill in detention after police denied her medical treatment for months, her brother said.