From Washington,this is VOA News.

Three former Ukrainian presidents have endorsed ongoing anti-government demonstrations in Kyiv aimed at ousting President Viktor Yanukovych for backing out of a trade deal with the European Union.

Earlier Wednesday Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov warned protesters they could face criminal charges for their acts.  He later accused the opposition of trying to provoke violence.

Despite the warning, the Interior Ministry ordered police not to use force against peaceful demonstrators.

The protests erupted last week, after the Yanukovych government refused to sign the EU trade deal, announcing instead that it would seek to preserve and strengthen its economic lifeline with Moscow.  

U.S. officials say Vice President Joe Biden expressed Washington's concerns over China's new air defense identification zone during talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing Wednesday.

The visit to Beijing comes one day after a visit to U.S. ally Japan, where Biden said he was "deeply concerned" at China's ADIZ in the East China Sea.

China late last month set up its Air Defense Identification Zone. Beijing has requested that all airplanes submit flight plans ahead of flying through the zone.

Pakistan’s national security adviser downplayed anti-drone protests that led to a suspension of U.S. military cargo shipments in and out of Afghanistan through Pakistan's northwest.

Ayaz Gul reports.

Activists of an opposition party led by former cricket star Imran Khan have been staging daily demonstrations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and have pledged to do so until the United States ends drone attacks on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan’s adviser on national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, Wednesday dismissed speculation that the protests could undermine the planned departure of international forces.   
 
He said that there is nothing to worry about because the Americans suspended shipments only from one route. He said NATO-bound traffic is moving smoothly through Baluchistan.

Ayaz Gul VOA News,ISLAMABAD.

Two Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has one of its commanders killed and is blaming neighboring Israel for his death.

The group said Hassan al-Laqis was killed as he returned to his home in southern Beirut.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman denied Israel was involved, and a claim of responsibility was posted on Twitter in the name of a group calling itself the Ahrar al-Sunna Baalbek Brigade.

The foreign ministers from NATO countries and Russia have expressed their support for Syria peace conference planned next month in Geneva.

Both the Syrian government and the main coalition opposing President Bashar al-Assad have said they will attend, but it is unclear clear who else will take part.

President Barack Obama says the US government need to count the decade's long trade ecnomic income inequality and the lack of shrinking upward mobility and jeopardize American dream.

VOA's Dan Robinson reports now from the White House.

As he prepares for new political battles over spending and other issues, Mr Obama returned to the same themes about the threat to U.S. prosperity from the gap between rich and poor, and lack of opportunity.

"A dangerous and growing inequality and lack of upward mobility that has jeopardized middle class America's basic bargain, that if you work hard you have a chance to get ahead.I believe this is the defining challenge of our time, making sure our economy works for every working American."

Mr Obama spoke as polls show strong majorities of Americans disapprove of his handling of the economy, with numbers the lowest of his presidency.

Dan Robinson VOA News,the White House.