ISIS claimed responsibility for attacks that killed at least 129 people in Paris, saying it sent fighters with suicide bombing belts and machine guns into the heart of the French capital. President Francoise Hollande declared the attacks "an act of war" as the city mourned its mounting dead.

• Date: 14.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 14.11.2015  |  Security  |  from http://www.rferl.org

Two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers flew near artificial Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea this week and were contacted by Chinese ground controllers but continued their mission undeterred, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

• Date: 13.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 13.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.rferl.org

Western and Gulf Arab nations have dismissed a Russian plan for peace and reform in Syria and said it will not form the basis for talks in Vienna this weekend.

• Date: 12.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 12.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.rferl.org

Syrian opposition figures and Gulf commentators dismissed on Wednesday a Russian draft proposal for a process to solve the Syrian crisis, saying Moscow's aim was to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power and marginalize dissenting voices.

• Date: 11.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 11.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com

China is not aware of any plan to discuss the disputed South China Sea at an Asia Pacific leaders' summit next week, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Tuesday, amid tensions between China and the Philippines over the waters.

• Date: 10.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 10.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has criticized the Islamic republic's hard-line media, suggesting some of these outlets are working as "undercover police" amid a wave of recent arrests by the country's feared Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) that is aimed at cracking down on Western influence.

• Date: 08.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 08.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.rferl.org

Russia flew home some 11,000 Russian tourists from Egypt on November 7 and an even larger number is expected to leave on November 8.

• Date: 08.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 08.11.2015  |  Security  |  from http://www.rferl.org

China has always insisted the dispute in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully through talks, but the government has a responsibility to protect the country's sovereignty and maritime rights, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.

• Date: 07.11.2015  |  Published on EGF: 07.11.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/