Spain's Sánchez secures power deal with Catalan separatists prompting anger

Spain's acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has agreed a controversial amnesty deal with a Catalan separatist party that brings him a step closer to four more years in government.

Iran: Removal of Terrorist Bases in Iraqi Kurdistan Region Gets Underway

The process of elimination of bases that accommodate the anti-Iran terrorist groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has kicked off as the deadline of September 19 set by Iran approaches, a source said.

US Urges Russia to 'Immediately' Observe Ukraine Ceasefire

The United States called on Russia to "immediately" observe the ceasefire in Ukraine, accusing combined Russian-separatist forces of targeting international monitors.

Ukraine prepares to evacuate town under siege; no electricity, no water

Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday that preparations to evacuate the strategic town of Avdiivka, under fire from rebel and government forces, are underway.

Rebel group kills three Indian soldiers in separatist attack in Assam

Three Indian soldiers were killed and four seriously wounded on Saturday in a separatist attack in the restive northeastern state of Assam, officials said.

India imposes Kashmir curfew to prevent planned separatist protest

The Indian government on Friday reimposed a curfew on south Kashmir and the city of Srinagar to prevent a planned march by separatist protesters.

Tensions flare in eastern Ukraine as Kiev ‘repels tank assault’. Fears of further escalation

A surge of fighting in eastern Ukraine, where Kiev reported the heaviest shelling in six months, has raised concerns that both Ukrainian and pro-Russian separatist forces are getting ready for a return to all-out warfare.

No pro-India party secures majority in Indian-controlled Kashmir

No pro- India political party has got majority to secure the sole government formation in Indian-controlled Kashmir, election officials saidon Tuesday.

The counting of votes in the restive region began on Tuesday, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerging as the largest party with 28 seats, followed by the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) getting 25 seats.

Ukraine Defense Minister Warns of Possible New Rebel Offensive (Russian troops crossed border, Nato says)

Ukraine’s defense minister, Stepan Poltorak, says Kyiv's forces are redeploying in preparation for a possible new offensive by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Australia drafts MH17 restriction resolution...

Australia has circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution demanding that pro-Russian separatists provide 'full and unfettered access' to the crash site of the downed Malaysian jet in eastern Ukraine.

The document - that could be put to a vote as early as Monday - also calls on everyone in the region to fully co-operate in an international probe of the incident.

The draft resolution 'demands that the armed groups in control of the crash site and the surrounding area refrain from any actions that may compromise the integrity of the crash site and immediately provide safe, secure, full and unfettered access to the site and surrounding area for the appropriate investigating authorities.'

John Kerry: "Enormous amount of evidence" Russia involved in MH17 crash

Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday that there is an "enormous amount of evidence" that Russia provided separatists in Eastern Ukraine with the weapons used to shoot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 last week, resulting in the deaths of nearly 300 people.
In an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," Kerry said that the investigation of the crash is going to draw "definitive" conclusions about Russia's role.
"What we have is a lot of evidence that points in the direction, that raises very, very serious questions, including the fact that a few weeks ago, we have 150-vehicle convoy coming from Russia, going into the east of Ukraine with tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, armored personnel carriers, turned over to the separatists," Kerry said.

Germany's Merkel urges Putin to influence separatists over Ukraine

Germany's foreign minister said on Saturday now may be Moscow's last opportunity to prove it is serious about peace in Ukraine as Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her call on Russia's Vladimir Putin to use his influence over pro-Moscow separatists.

World leaders have called for a rapid investigation into the shooting down of a Malaysian passenger plane over eastern Ukraine that killed nearly 300 people on Thursday in what may be a pivotal moment for Russian and the West.

"Moscow may have a last opportunity now to show that it really is seriously interested in a solution," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild am Sonntag newspaper, according to a pre-publication release.
"Now is the moment for all to stop and think about what can happen if we don't stop the escalation."

Russia Urges Sweden to Ban Separatist Website

MOSCOW, December 24 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday urged Sweden to ban Kavkazcenter, the notorious Chechen separatists' website.
The website, that has been the most powerful mouthpiece of North Caucasus separatists for about 13 years, was labeled extremist by a Russian court in September 2011.
"The fact that the website is being operated from outside Sweden starting from this summer, as Stockholm maintains, does not eliminate Sweden’s international legal obligations for the country’s authorities to legally ban the Kavkazcenter activities on its territory under the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee’s decision,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.