In Ukraine, separatists issue ultimatum to end rail blockade
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine said on Monday they would take control of Ukraine-run businesses in rebel-held areas if the Ukrainian government does not end a rail blockade that has halted coal supplies.
Syria opposition seeks clarity from power-broker Russia at Geneva talks
The main opposition group at Syrian peace talks in Geneva wants to meet Russian envoys to discuss what it says are Moscow's broken ceasefire promises, a move diplomats say aims to put pressure on the Russian-backed Syrian government delegation.
Wary of Trump unpredictability, China ramps up naval abilities
The PLA Navy is likely to secure significant new funding in China's upcoming defense budget as Beijing seeks to check U.S. dominance of the high seas and step up its own projection of power around the globe.
Syrian civil activists demand talks on transition, ceasefire monitoring
Syrian activists called on Sunday for the Assad government to engage in serious talks on political transition and for the United Nations to strengthen the fragile ceasefire as violence engulfed parts of the country.
Bombings, air strikes in Syria rattle Geneva peace talks
Syrian government and opposition delegates to peace talks in Geneva on Saturday warned of the impact on negotiations after a day of violence in Syria that included jihadist suicide bombings and missile strikes by the air force.
China denies increasing troops on North Korean border
China denied on Thursday that it had increased its troop presence on the border with North Korea after the murder of the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Malaysia.
Syria's warring sides meet at U.N. talks for first time in three years
Opposing sides in the Syrian war came face-to-face in U.N. peace talks for the first time in three years on Thursday, to hear U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura implore them to find a way out of the almost six-year-old conflict.
Japan protests Russian military buildup plan in decades-old islands dispute
Japan has protested to Russia over its plan to boost troop strength on disputed islands, Japan's top government spokesman said on Thursday, the latest move in a territorial row that has overshadowed ties since World War Two.
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