Legislators have approved amendments to China's 15-year-old air pollution law that grant the state new powers to punish offenders and create a legal framework to cap coal consumption, the Asian giant's biggest source of smog.

• August 29, 2015

The alarming scale of China's economic slowdown is pushing European exporters to accelerate a move into premium goods and services, sacrificing volumes if necessary to sustain margins.

• August 27, 2015

Iran appears to have built an extension to part of its Parchin military site since May, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a report on Thursday, as part of its inquiry into possible military dimensions of Tehran's past nuclear activity.

• August 27, 2015

Wall Street advanced on Wednesday while European shares and commodities fell as investors balanced strong U.S. economic data and policy comments with fears about China's slowing economy.

• August 26, 2015

A Chinese oil rig at the center of last year's standoff between China and Vietnam will continue drilling not far from Vietnam's coast, China's maritime safety authorities said on Tuesday.

• August 25, 2015

China's economic slowdown and a sharp fall in its stock market herald not a crisis but a "necessary" adjustment for the world's second biggest economy, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Saturday.

• August 23, 2015

North Korea put its troops on a war footing on Friday as South Korea rejected an ultimatum to stop propaganda broadcasts or face military action, prompting China to voice concern and urge both sides to step back.

• August 21, 2015

Japan needs details of China's plans for Sept 3. events to mark the anniversary of World War Two before it decides if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Beijing then for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a Japanese government source said.

• August 20, 2015