About 99 Indian prisoners, including 96 fishermen, who were freed from Pakistan jails on Friday, were handed over to authorities of India at Wagha border in Amritsar.

Japan and China have agreed to hold annual leaders' meetings in another sign of improving relations between the Asian neighbors.

President Hu Jintao on Tuesday started the first visit by a Chinese leader to Japan in 10 years as the Asian powers eased decades of tension, but hundreds took to the streets to protest over Tibet.

Iranian moves to solidify ties with Venezuela, Bolivia and other leftist governments in Latin America have sparked increasing concern in the United States.

The Middle East is the topic of a talk in Bristol next month by a prominent author and journalist.

Noting that collaboration between the United Nations and the African Union has entered a historic phase with the establishment of a joint peacekeeping operation in Darfur, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that the year ahead will be a crucial one for the two bodies as they strive to achieve shared goals.

In 2008, the Chinese mainland will make strong efforts to achieve bright prospects for relations across the Taiwan Strait, according to Chen Yunlin, a leading official in charge of cross-Strait affairs, in an article to be published in the year's No.1 Issue of the "Cross Strait Relations" magazine.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says the strength of Australia's alliance with the United States will continue, despite the change of government.

For the first time in almost five decades, a Greek Prime Minister has arrived for an official visit in Turkey.

On the afternoon of Jan. 22, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held a regular press conference and answered questions on China-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, six foreign ministers' meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue, China-Germany relations, China-India relations and etc.

The UK's Royal Air Force has launched fighter jets to intercept eight Russian military planes flying in airspace patrolled by NATO, UK officials say.