Trump Says Defense Chief Mattis Will Retire At End Of February

U.S. President Donald Trump says on Twitter that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will retire at the end of February.

U.S. Envoy Doubts Afghan Taliban 'Genuinely Seeking Peace'

The U.S. special peace envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has questioned the Taliban's determination to end the 17-year war, after the group's representatives refused to meet with an Afghan government-backed negotiating team.

Putin Warns Against Underestimating Risk Of Nuclear War, Talks Up Russian Economy In Annual Press Conference

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding his annual news conference, fielding questions in what is usually an hours-long event and this year it is being held at a time when his ratings have fallen due mainly to an anemic economy.

Key Taliban Commander Killed In Eastern Afghanistan

A key Taliban commander has been killed in an operation conducted by Afghan government forces in the country's east, the Defense Ministry says.

Soviet Sentimentality: Russians' Regret At U.S.S.R.'s Collapse Hits 14-Year High

More Russians regret the breakup of the Soviet Union than at any other time since 2004, an opinion poll shows.

Reports: U.S. Planning ‘Complete Withdrawal Of Troops’ From Syria

The United States is preparing to withdraw all its troops from Syria, according to U.S. media reports.

Hacked Diplomatic Cables Reveal Europe's Anxiety About Trump, Russia, Iran -NYT

Armenia Named The Economist's 'Country Of The Year'

The Economist has named Armenia as its country of the year, saying the South Caucasus nation has a "chance of democracy and renewal" after street protests led to a peaceful change of government.

Putin Open To Other States Joining Russia-U.S. Nuclear Pact

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested he is open to the idea of other countries joining a Cold War nuclear-arms treaty between Russia and the United States or to starting talks on a new pact.

Thousands Rally Outside Hungary's State TV In Fifth Night Of Protests

Thousands of demonstrators have rallied outside Hungary's state TV broadcaster in a fifth night of protests against the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Putin Signs Law Aimed At Banning Online 'Columbine Communities'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that proponents say is aimed at banning what they call "online Columbine communities" that allegedly encourage violence by schoolchildren.