Representatives from China and Taiwan have reached an agreement to restart formal negotiations on a free-trade pact that would eliminate tax on the vast majority of goods flowing between the two, Taiwan officials said Tuesday.

• August 5, 2014

An ally of Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia's business elite would not put pressure him to change tack on Ukraine due to Western sanctions which would only strengthen support for the president's policies.

• August 4, 2014

Russia accused the European Union of double standards on Saturday, saying it had lifted a ban on supplying Ukraine with military technology and equipment "on the quiet" but imposed sanctions on Moscow's defence sector.

• August 2, 2014

A lull in fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists allowed international experts on Saturday to resume their search for human remains at the wreckage of a Malaysian airliner downed in eastern Ukraine last month.

• August 2, 2014

International experts found the remains of more victims of the downed Malaysian airliner in east Ukraine on Friday but fighting nearby between government forces and pro-Russian rebels renewed security concerns around the wreckage.

• August 2, 2014

Euro zone economic sentiment unexpectedly improved in July despite the deepening crisis between the West and Russia over Ukraine, data showed on Wednesday, and inflation expectations among consumers and companies edged up.

• July 31, 2014

Russia has banned soy imports from Ukraine and may impose restrictions on Greek fruits and U.S. poultry next week, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday, in what could be responses to new Western sanctions.

• July 31, 2014

NATO is not prepared for the threat of a Russian attack on one of its members, British lawmakers said on Thursday, calling for more equipment and troops to be positioned in the Baltic States, which, they said, were particularly vulnerable.

• July 31, 2014