Russia was due Friday to give initial approval to a historic nuclear arms pact with the United States that opens the way for the former Cold War foes' cooperation on everything from Afghanistan to Iran.

The United Nations demanded a halt to the "atrocities" triggered by Ivory Coast's political crisis that have left 173 dead, and accused Laurent Gbagbo's troops of harassing its peacekeepers.

The United Nations said on Thursday that Israel and the Islamist group Hamas had indicated they wanted to reduce tension in and around the coastal enclave and appealed for an end to hostilities.

The 10th Ordinary Session of the sixth National Assembly of the Lao PDR closed on December 23 by announcing a reshuffle of top state leaders, state media reports said.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a healthcare package and economic aid for people who fell sick after inhaling toxic fume from the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City's World Trade Center.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) began large-scale drills Thursday involving fighter jets and artillery guns near a heavily fortified land border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) amid lingering military tension, the defense ministry said.

Japanese export growth picked up for the first time in nine months in November, in part due to a weaker yen, official figures have shown.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) criticized major land and sea military exercises to be staged by the Republic of Korea (RoK) on Thursday, but stopped short of threatening a retaliatory strike as tension remained high on the divided peninsula.

Chinese President Hu Jintao will make a state visit to the White House on January 19, including a state dinner that night, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced Wednesday.

A Palestinian draft resolution condemning Israel's West Bank settlement activity is ready to be presented to the United Nations Security Council, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday.