Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire between Syrian opposition groups and the Syrian government starting at midnight on Thursday.

• December 29, 2016

Russian authorities investigating the crash of a military plane that killed 92 people said on Thursday there was no explosion on board but they had not ruled out a "terrorist act" as the cause.

• December 29, 2016

The top echelons of China's ruling Communist Party must lead the fight against corruption by accepting supervision for all they do, state media on Tuesday quoted President Xi Jinping as saying.

• December 27, 2016

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted on Tuesday as saying that the Syrian government was consulting with the opposition ahead of possible peace talks, but a Saudi-backed opposition group said it knew nothing of the negotiations.

• December 27, 2016

Russia's Gazprom said on Tuesday it had filed proposals with the European Commission aimed at resolving a five-year EU case over the Russian gas giant's alleged monopoly practices.

• December 27, 2016

A group of Chinese warships led by the country's sole aircraft carrier entered the top half of the South China Sea on Monday after passing south of Taiwan, the self-ruled island's Defence Ministry said of what China has termed a routine exercise.

• December 26, 2016

On the morning of July 29, former Italian Industry Minister Corrado Passera was traveling in a high-speed train toward the medieval city of Siena, racing to meet the directors of the world's oldest bank to present them with a rescue plan.

• December 26, 2016

Britain should decide its own immigration policy and stop pretending Brexit is compatible with staying in the European Union's single market, a former governor of the Bank of England said on Monday.

• December 26, 2016