Khalilzad Briefs Pakistani PM On Afghan Peace Efforts

U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi in Islamabad on January 18 to brief him on his recent efforts to resolve neighboring Afghanistan’s 17-year war, Pakistani officials said.

Russia Dismisses IS Claim That It Was Behind Deadly Apartment Collapse

Russia’s Investigative Committee says a gas leak remains the likely cause of a deadly apartment collapse last month in Magnitogorsk after Islamic State said it had bombed the building.

Belarus Looking Into Russian Detention Of Ex-Model Claiming Trump Secrets

The Belarusian Embassy in Moscow says it is looking into the case of a Belarusian model who was detained by Russian authorities after landing in Moscow following her deportation from Thailand.

U.S. Believes Islamic State Likely Responsible For Manbij Blast

Afghanistan's Ghani Thanks Pakistan For Help With Taliban Talks

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked Pakistan on January 17 for its help in advancing peace talks with the Taliban amid continuing diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the 17-year war in the country, Pakistani officials said.

HRW Chief Hails Rising Resistance To Autocracy In 'Dark Time' For Human Rights

While the world’s autocrats and rights abusers often captured headlines last year, the defenders of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law also “gained strength,” according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Kenneth Roth.

Trump To Unveil New U.S. Missile-Defense Policy

The administration’s new approach is expected to include more efforts to stop missiles either before they are launched or just after launch, when their booster engines are still burning.

Czechs Mark Half A Century Since Jan Palach's Self-Immolation

Czechs have been marking 50 years since student Jan Palach set himself on fire in downtown Prague in an act of revolt in the aftermath of the 1968 Soviet invasion.

Taliban Must Talk To Afghan Government: U.S. Envoy

U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad says that a peaceful end to the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan requires the Taliban to engage in direct talks with the Afghan government, which they have consistently refused to do.

U.S.-Led Coalition Patrol Suffers Casualties In Syria Blast

An explosion on January 16 near a patrol of the U.S.-led coalition in the northern Syrian town of Manbij killed and wounded more than a dozen people, a Syrian war monitoring group said, while an unnamed U.S. diplomat said four American soldiers died in the blast.

Ahead of Serbia Visit, Putin Asserts U.S. Role In Destabilizing Balkans

Putin's visit to Serbia is being closely watched in the West for clues as to Moscow's intentions in the former Yugoslavia.