Despite cease-fire, intense fighting around key coal hub Debaltseve; rebels say no cease-fire around that city. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday that pro-Russian Separatist attacks are continuing in eastern Ukraine city of Debaltseve. In a statement issued by his office, Poroshenko warned that continuing attacks around the city threatened …

US President Barack Obama called Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, hours before a ceasefire agreement was to come into effect in troubled eastern Ukraine, affirming necessity to respect the truce. In his conversation with Poroshenko, Obama expressed “his sympathy for the mounting toll of the conflict …

The European Union Monday announced that it will give 156 million euro in humanitarian funding in 2015 to the Sahel region. This new aid has been announced by EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, who is currently on a visit to Senegal and Mali. “Sahel is …