Obama 'pragmatic' with Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin may seek to look like the tough guy in joint appearances with President Barack Obama, but Obama said in an interview that he and Putin have a pragmatic and respectful relationship.

EU set to lift all tariffs on US imports

The European Union will offer to lift tariffs on nearly all goods imported from the United States as part of negotiations surrounding the world's largest free trade deal, people familiar with the proposal have told Reuters.

Evacuations imminent in besieged Syrian city

Scores of trapped civilians awaited evacuation on Friday from rebel-held areas in the besieged Syrian city of Homs as Damascus finally confirmed it will join new peace talks next week.

IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Observers hail Xi's Sochi trip

President Xi Jinping's attendance at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi reflects China's strong support for the Olympics and shows that it attaches great importance to the strategic coordination partnership between the two nations, observers said.

Sino-Russian efforts on Syria issue praised

Xi, Putin encourage crews of warships escorting chemical weapons shipment

History supports China's maritime claims: expert

A Chinese expert has responded to statements from Washington and Manila that challenged Beijing's territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea, calling on the international community to respect historical evidence instead of adding to regional tensions.

Japan to extend 'territorial education'

Japanese Cabinet members have publicly confirmed that Tokyo will expand "territorial education" regarding disputed islands to include elementary schools.

DPRK may call off family reunions

Barely a day after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea agreed to resume reunions for divided families, Pyongyang threatened on Thursday to drop out of the deal unless Seoul scraps planned military drills with the United States.

UN urges Vatican to act against child sex abuse

A damning report by the United Nations on the Vatican's handling of child sex abuse cases has increased pressure on the Catholic Church to convince a skeptical international community it has adopted a zero-tolerance approach.

Sisi announces bid for presidency

Egyptian army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who deposed the country's first freely elected leader, has said he will run for president, a Kuwaiti newspaper said on Thursday.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)