The volcanic ash cloud that has enveloped Europe and closed nearly all of the continent’s airports forced world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, French President Nicholas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to abandon plans to attend the funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

• April 19, 2010

Russia must play a central role in plans for a missile defence system in Europe, Nato's top official will tell a meeting of alliance foreign ministers this week.

• April 19, 2010

The Thai army moves into the business district of Bangkok to prevent anti-government protesters entering the area.

• April 19, 2010

U.S. President Barack Obama got his first look this week at Ukraine's new president, Viktor Yanukovych. As the Moscow-backed candidate who "won" the 2004 presidential election only to be defeated in the Orange Revolution, Yanukovych has some work to do on his image in the West, where many still see him as a tool of the Kremlin.

• April 17, 2010

Air traffic across Europe remained suspended Saturday as a huge cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland turned most of the continent into a no-fly zone. More than 15 countries have imposed flight bans, causing travel chaos.

• April 17, 2010

The enormous cloud of volcanic ash coming from Iceland has caused Europe's largest air travel disruption since World War II, threatening the attendance of some foreign leaders at the Polish president's funeral on Sunday.

• April 17, 2010

U.S. help is needed to dispose of the remaining solid-rocket engines used in Soviet-era intercontinental ballistic missles.

• April 16, 2010

Government source said a reduction in the price of Russian gas depended on Ukraine ending cooperation on nuclear energy with a U.S. company.

• April 16, 2010