China warned on Wednesday of a "grim" outlook for trade after a surprise fall in June exports, raising fresh concerns about the extent of the slowdown in the world's second-largest economy and increasing the pressure on the government to act.

• July 10, 2013

Japan faces increasingly serious threats to its security from an assertive China and an unpredictable North Korea, the defense ministry said in its first annual report since hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office.

• July 9, 2013

Greece secured a lifeline from the euro zone and the IMF on Monday but was told it must keep its promises on cutting public sector jobs and selling state assets to get all the cash.

• July 9, 2013

Talks aimed at creating the world's largest free trade zone between the European Union and the US are set to open amid tensions over spying and protected industries.

• July 8, 2013

Russia urged North Korea on Thursday to help pave the way for a resumption of international talks and told Pyongyang that ending the standoff over its nuclear program would bring economic benefits.

• July 5, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured him that Beijing had been "very firm" with North Korea on its need to end its nuclear program.

• July 1, 2013

The European Union said on Monday it had ordered a security sweep of EU buildings after reports that a U.S. spy agency had bugged EU offices in Belgium and the United States.

• July 1, 2013

North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator will meet senior Russian officials in Moscow next week, state media reported, amid signs of a new push to get Pyongyang to re-join protracted talks over ending its atomic program.

• July 1, 2013