The Georgian parliament confirmed former Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili as the country's new prime minister on December 29.

• December 29, 2015

The Taliban has denied that it held talks with Russian officials about efforts to combat Islamic State (IS) militants in Afghanistan as a British newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had met the group's leader earlier this year.

• December 28, 2015

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev said Russia would no longer be able to finance two previously agreed upon hydroelectric power projects in Kyrgyzstan.

• December 28, 2015

Washington says a ship carrying more than 11,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium material left Iran for Russia on December 28 in a major Iranian step toward fulfilling its commitments in a landmark nuclear deal with major powers.

• December 28, 2015

Issue # 87
12/28/2015
Militants capture village close to Mariupol
Trilateral contact group on Donbas meets again in Minsk
Donetsk separatists refuse to exchange prisoners by year-end
Putin appoints new Russian envoy to contact group
Yet another Russian "humanitarian convoy" enters Ukraine's Donbas
Ukrainian court allows Luhansk rebel leader to be tried in absentia READ MORE

• December 28, 2015

Taiwan's opposition leader and presidential frontrunner on Sunday called on China to respect the island's democratic process and said she believes Beijing will have a "rational attitude" when dealing with her independence-leaning party.

• December 27, 2015

Russian air forces have not hit civilian targets since they started a bombing campaign in Syria nearly three months ago, a senior Russian officer said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television.

• December 27, 2015

The Taliban denied reports that representatives had met Russian officials to discuss the common threat from Islamic State in Afghanistan as a British newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had met the Taliban leader.

• December 27, 2015