A U.N. nuclear agency investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by Iran will not be an "endless process", its chief said on Monday, pressuring Tehran to step up cooperation with the long-stalled probe.

• September 15, 2014

Surveying a ruined airport in the rebel stronghold of Luhansk, the ex-Russian paratrooper in trademark blue beret boasts that only "professionals" such as him can turn the tide in the conflict with Kiev in eastern Ukraine.

• September 15, 2014

Fighting flared near an airport in eastern Ukraine on Saturday in breach of a fragile eight-day ceasefire as the prime minister accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of planning to destroy his country.

• September 13, 2014

More than half the vehicles of a Russian humanitarian aid convoy have arrived in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, Russian media reported on Saturday.

• September 13, 2014

The United States hit Russia's largest bank, a major arms maker and arctic, deepwater and shale exploration by its biggest oil companies with new sanctions on Friday to punish Moscow for intervening in Ukraine.

• September 12, 2014

European leaders spoke early on Thursday and agreed to push ahead with a package of sanctions against Russia by the end of the week, due to its aggression towards Ukraine, British Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said.

• September 11, 2014

European Union governments agreed on Thursday that new economic sanctions on Russia will take effect on Friday but held out the prospect of cancelling some or all of them next month if they believe a peace plan is working.

• September 11, 2014

Ukraine's president said on Wednesday Russia had removed the bulk of its forces from his country, raising hopes for a peace drive now underway after five months of conflict in which more than 3,000 people have been killed.

• September 10, 2014