A giant monument to friendship between historic enemies Turkey and Armenia has become a symbol of controvery rather than healing.

• January 10, 2011

The European Union is preparing to restore a travel ban against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko following a post-election crackdown on political opponents

• January 8, 2011

The European Union has turned down an offer from Iran to tour its nuclear facilities, EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on Friday, but remains optimistic about talks with Tehran later this month. Iran has sent letters to a number of ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, inviting them to visit two sites - the Natanz uranium enrichment plant and the Arak heavy water complex - in the coming weeks.

• January 8, 2011

U.S. laws limit the burning of coal here, and Washington state has a strong green influence. Passenger rail in Seattle and beyond would suffer consequences from shipments to Bellingham. But the financial firepower lined up in favor of shipping coal from Washington ports to China is gigantic.

• January 8, 2011

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has met with human rights activists from Belarus to discuss the recent Belarusian presidential election, which has been condemned by the U.S. and European nations, and the Belarusian regime's crackdown on activists and opposition political leaders.

• January 7, 2011

At the risk of angering its close ally the US but while safeguarding its own national interests, Turkey has been developing its ties with neighboring Iran while making intense efforts to end a lengthy stalemate between the international community and Tehran over its nuclear ambitions.

• January 6, 2011

Turkey is among countries that were invited by Iran on Tuesday to visit key nuclear facilities, officials said, while noting that the invitation was conveyed to Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN nuclear watchdog in Vienna.

• January 6, 2011

Since Belarus’s security forces cracked down on the opposition last month, the Polish government has been pursuing a strategy aimed at increasing its support for civil society and non-governmental organizations while isolating the top leadership in Minsk, officials in Warsaw said Wednesday.

• January 6, 2011