Ukrainian forces struck at pro-Russian separatist bases in eastern regions with air and artillery strikes on Tuesday after President Petro Poroshenko announced he would not renew a ceasefire but go on the offensive to rid Ukraine of "parasites".

• July 1, 2014

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urged President Vladimir Putin on Sunday to strengthen Russian control over its borders to prevent militants and arms entering Ukraine after violence broke a truce there.

• June 30, 2014

In the latest shift away from the austerity of the euro zone crisis, European Union leaders signaled at a summit that they were ready to give member states extra time to consolidate their budgets as long as they pressed ahead with economic reforms.

• June 30, 2014

Annual profit growth of China's banks could slow to 9 percent in 2014 as they face increased liquidity and lending risks due to slower economic growth and Beijing's battle on excessive factory capacity, the banking industry body said a report.

• June 30, 2014

China's top official in charge of relations with self-ruled Taiwan said on Friday that he understood and respected the choices of its people, as he was met by noisy protests in the traditionally anti-China far south of the island.

• June 28, 2014

In the latest shift away from the austerity of the euro zone crisis, European Union leaders signaled at a summit that they were ready to give member states extra time to consolidate their budgets as long as they pressed ahead with economic reforms.

• June 28, 2014

The European Union signed an historic free-trade pact with Ukraine on Friday and warned it could impose more sanctions on Moscow unless pro-Russian rebels act to wind down the crisis in the east of the country by Monday.

• June 28, 2014

The European Union and the United States are not poised to slap fresh sanctions on Russia on Friday despite a U.S. warning that Moscow had only 'hours" to act on disarming Ukraine separatists, Western diplomats said.

• June 27, 2014