North Korea's declaration of a state of war against South Korea has spurred China's People's Liberation Army to increase its military presence on the China-North Korea border, Russia Today reported April 2, citing U.S. officials.

Sudanese President Omar al Bashir on April 1 issued an order to release all political detainees in preparation for national dialogue among Sudan's political forces, Xinhua reported.

U.S. F-22 stealth fighter jets were sent to South Korea on April 1 to join military drills meant to show Washington's commitment to defending Seoul as threats from North Korea increase, Reuters reported.

The United States sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea on March 31 to join military drills, Reuters reported.

A ship said to be carrying 8,500 tons of Iranian weapons is en route to Syria and expected to pass through the Suez Canal within hours, a Syrian rebel source said March 30, Al Arabiya reported.

Russia expects "maximum responsibility and restraint" from all sides in dealing with North Korea's latest threat to attack the United States, Grigory Logvinov, Russia's deputy envoy to the six-party talks, said March 30, AFP reported.

The U.N. Security Council on March 29 unanimously approved an "offensive" peacekeeping brigade to fight rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first U.N. force of its kind, The News International reported.

North Korea put missile units on standby on March 29 to attack U.S. bases in South Korea and the Pacific after the United States flew nuclear-capable stealth bombers over South Korea on March 28, Reuters reported.

Russia will judge the security situation on the Korean peninsula by concrete steps that are taken there, not by belligerent statements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said March 29, Vesti.ru reported.