It is one of those concepts that is particularly odious to Russia -- an automatic trigger mechanism under which the U.N. Security Council would be forced to do something.

• April 2, 2015

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed a letter of application for Israel to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

• April 1, 2015

Greece should reach a deal with its euro zone partners and the International Monetary Fund next week on a package of reforms, which will help to unlock remaining bailout funds, the country's economy minister said on Wednesday.

• April 1, 2015

The European Commission is aiming to broker more talks between Russia and Ukraine this month to try to extend a discount on gas prices for Kiev, Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Wednesday.

• April 1, 2015

Japan remains cautious about signing up to the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), indicating that Tokyo will miss the March 31 deadline for application, but both Taiwan and Norway said they would seek to join the institution.

• March 31, 2015

Iran would not necessarily have to ship its stockpile of highly enriched uranium abroad under a nuclear pact with major powers, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Monday.

• March 31, 2015

A third of Republicans believe President Barack Obama poses an imminent threat to the United States, outranking concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

• March 30, 2015

Russia is supplying weapons to Damascus under contracts signed since the conflict in Syria began in 2011, as well as under earlier deals, President Bashar al-Assad said.

• March 30, 2015