FARC rebel chief confirms Colombia peace talks
The leader of Colombia's leftist FARC rebels confirmed on Monday that they were ready to take part in peace talks aimed at ending Latin America's longest-running armed conflict, now nearly 50 years old.
IAEA report to detail Iranian nuclear advances
A new UN atomic agency report due Thursday or Friday is expected to detail how Iran is continuing to expand its nuclear programme despite painful sanctions and talk of Israeli military action.
Lonmin hopeful more workers will return to S. Africa mines
After a promising weekend turnout of workers at its South African platinum mines, Lonmin expressed hopes more will clock in on Monday as talks resume after violence that claimed 44 lives.
Nigeria in back-channel talks with Islamists: official
Nigeria's government has reached out to members of Islamist militant group Boko Haram through back-channel talks in a bid to end an insurgency that has killed hundreds, the president's spokesman said Sunday.
North Korea, Japan to hold first direct talks in four years
North Korea and Japan this week hold their first direct talks in four years with attention focused on whether they can show progress in overcoming deep-rooted suspicions that have hamstrung ties.
Under-pressure but defiant Iran seeks elusive IAEA deal
Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog were due in talks Friday to make a fresh push to patch up relations as Tehran feels the heat from sanctions and amid fevered speculation of imminent Israeli military action.
Greek PM in crisis talks with Merkel
Greece's prime minister was expected to press for more time to make key reforms and spending cuts to keep his debt-wracked country in the eurozone at crisis talks Friday with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Insiders focus of US military chief's Afghan trip
The top US military officer Martin Dempsey flew Sunday to Afghanistan to hold talks with senior commanders amid a spate of attacks by Afghan soldiers on their NATO counterparts.
Eurozone fears shadow Merkel's arrival in Canada
German leader Angela Merkel held talks Wednesday with her Canadian counterpart on a first-ever bilateral visit shadowed by eurozone fears and Ottawa's refusal to wade into relief efforts.
Egypt army masses troops in tense Sinai
Egypt's army massed troops in Sinai on Thursday in a campaign to quell increasingly deadly Islamist militants as Bedouin leaders pledged their help in a meeting with the interior minister.
Clinton arrives in Turkey for key Syria talks
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived Saturday in Istanbul for talks on the conflict in Syria with Turkish leaders after Washington slapped fresh sanctions on Bashar al-Assad's regime and its allies.
S. Korea firms in talks to resume Iran oil imports
South Korean oil refiners are in talks with Iran to resume oil imports, officials said Thursday, potentially by using Iranian tankers as a way to circumvent EU sanctions.
Iran unfazed by Israeli, US threats of force: Netanyahu
US and Israeli threats of a military strike have done nothing to stop Iran's pursuit of a nuclear capability, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said in talks with US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta.
Iran tops agenda as Pentagon chief visits Israel
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta was on Wednesday to hold top-level talks in Israel expected to focus on ways of resolving the international standoff over Iran's disputed nuclear programme.
Russia in talks on 'Cuba, Vietnam' naval bases: admiral
Russia is holding talks about opening naval bases in Moscow's Soviet-era allies Cuba and Vietnam as well as the Seychelles.
Clinton warns Iran after talks in Jerusalem
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday said Washington would use "all elements of its power" to prevent Iran going nuclear and was working in "close consultation" with Israel over how to do so.
Putin refuses to cut price of Russian gas for Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not budge Thursday during talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych aimed at easing a dispute over the price of Russia's gas.
France's Hollande, UK's Cameron laugh off differences
French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron tried Tuesday to laugh off a rocky start to their relationship despite lingering differences over the eurozone crisis.
Eurozone offers Spains 30 bn euros for banks
Eurozone finance ministers agreed Tuesday to offer Spain 30 billion euros this month to help its distressed banks as they raced to stay ahead of market scepticism.
Annan in Syria hoping to save peace plan
International envoy Kofi Annan has arrived in Syria after admitting that his peace plan has so far failed to end nearly 16 months of carnage, as scores more die in the violence-wracked country.