Classmates celebrating 60th birthday among missing

Kim Jeong-keun woke up on his cabin bed to find out his friends had smeared lipstick on his face while he had been asleep, a prank harking back to their school days.

Putin seeks to restore 'trust' with US

Russian leader urges Washington to respect other nations' interests

3 killed in Black Sea base attack

Three pro-Russian protesters were killed and 13 were injured during an attempted overnight raid on a Ukrainian National Guard base in the Black Sea port of Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said.

India holds biggest day of voting as Hindu nationalists gain

India held the biggest day of its mammoth general election on Thursday, with a quarter of its 815-million-strong electorate eligible to vote during a week of fresh blows for the ruling Congress party and gains for the Hindu nationalist opposition.

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Boston tributes bombing victims

US Vice-President Joe Biden, local leaders, officials and survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing shared messages of thanks and defiance on Tuesday at a tribute to the three people killed and the 264 who were wounded in the attack one year ago to the day.

NYPD disbands Muslim-tracking unit amid concerns

Muslim groups and civil liberties advocates applauded the decision by New York Police Department officials to disband a controversial unit that tracked the daily lives of Muslims as part of efforts to detect terror threats. But concerns remained over whether other problematic practices remained in place.

Overseas payment to Iran 'to be freed'

Iran expects to get a fifth installment this week of previously blocked overseas funds, a senior official was quoted as saying, a payment that would confirm Teheran's compliance with an interim deal with world powers to curb its nuclear program.

Beijing provides common ground for opposing sides in Syria conflict

Beijing will work with all parties in the Syria conflict to push for the "difficult but correct" step toward a political solution to the crisis, China's top diplomat said on Wednesday.

Tokyo governor hopes China visit will boost ties

China and Japan are scheduling more visits between officials from both nations, a sign of shared willingness to thaw the icy relationship.

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Ukraine urges Russian pullback

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk on Wednesday urged Moscow to pull its "raiding forces" back from eastern Ukraine to "halt provocative actions".