Swedish fighters intercepted four Russian planes flying in international air space over the Baltic sea with their transponders turned off, the country's military said on Tuesday.

• March 24, 2015

U.S. President Barack Obama will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House next month for talks expected to focus on their joint response to China's rising power and efforts to finalize a major Asia-Pacific trade pact.

• March 23, 2015

The three main members of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union face a big economic challenge from the fall in global oil prices, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on Friday.

• March 20, 2015

Greece promised on Friday to speed up implementation of its extended bailout agreement and send a full list of detailed reform proposals to its euro zone partners in the coming days, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

• March 20, 2015

Australia said on Friday there was a lot of merit in the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) while Japan's finance minister signalled cautious approval of the institution that the United States has warned against.

• March 20, 2015

European Union leaders look likely to keep economic sanctions on Russia in place until a Ukraine ceasefire deal is fully working, after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday it would be wrong to ease pressure on Moscow prematurely.

• March 19, 2015

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics
6 February – 28 February 2015
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• “Turkish Stream” looks increasingly viable as Turkey and Russia move forward with planning the Black Sea pipeline. The project worries supporters of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline Project, especially Azerbaijan, though experts view the project as part of Turkey’s long term goal of diversifying pipeline projects that cross its territory in order to become an influential transit hub.
• From his prison cell, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan calls on the armed group to lay down the gun and pick up the ballot. The opportunity is now present for the AKP government to move forward on the Kurdish democratization package.
• Turkey’s muted response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea leaves the peninsula’s 300,000 Tatars without a champion to highlight increasing persecution at the hands of the Moscow-backed government there.
• The Southern Gas Corridor remains viable as Turkey diversifies its participation in pipeline projects. The government reiterates its commitment to TANAP, while Iran feels out future opportunities to partner with Turkey on a revived NABUCCO.

• March 19, 2015

A possible deal over Iran's nuclear program that would phase out economic sanctions against Tehran is unlikely to flood world markets with more oil any time soon, despite Iran's declared intention to claw back market share lost because of the curbs.

• March 17, 2015