An industrial city in eastern China has closed several factories, including many steel and nickel pig iron producers, in an apparent sign the government is stepping up enforcement of a new environmental law in the face of growing public discontent over pollution.

• March 6, 2015

With less than four weeks until its deal for Russian natural gas imports ends, Ukraine risks losing its current discount unless it can agree a new pact, something that took six months and help from the European Commission to achieve last time.

• March 5, 2015

The European Central Bank said it will start printing money to buy bonds next Monday and delivered a robust economic outlook that will make it hard to extend the plan beyond its envisaged Sept. 2016 end-date.

• March 5, 2015

China's representative at talks on Iran's nuclear program said on Thursday he saw hope that a deal would be done, a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said "significant gaps" remained to be negotiated.

• March 5, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the murder of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov was a shameful tragedy that carried a political subtext.

• March 4, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday refused to speculate if Greece could count on a third aid package from its euro zone partners after Athens had completed its existing bailout program.

• March 4, 2015

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of "gangsterism" on Wednesday over its decision to withhold the transfer of more than $100 million a month in tax revenues it collects on the Palestinians' behalf.

• March 4, 2015

Thousands of Russians, many carrying red carnations, on Tuesday filed past the coffin of Boris Nemtsov, the Kremlin critic whose killing last week, friends say, showed the hazards of speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• March 3, 2015