Authorities in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus are to ban lace underwear because the material does not absorb moisture.
The ongoing political crisis in Ukraine has erupted in violence once more, with at least seven protesters killed and dozens more injured in the clashes.
The opening ceremony for the Sochi Winter Olympics are only two days away, but photographs from people who have started to arrive at the hotels in the city show that there is still a great amount of work to be done.
If Ukraine constantly seems torn between Western Europe and Russia, it is because Ukraine is itself a country divided between East and West. While more than half the Ukrainian population associates itself with the EU, a large ethnic Russian minority is also present, which is difficult to ignore.
The Syria peace talks in Geneva have opened with bitter accusations from each side over the ongoing conflict which has cost more than 100,000 lives.