From Washington,this is VOA News.

The U.S. says it flew two military aircraft over a disputed area of the East China Sea without notifying China.This is the first direct challenge to Beijing's bid to create an air defense notification zone.

At the Pentagon officials said B-52 bombers took part in regular exercises over disputed islands on Monday. There was no immediate reaction from Beijing.

The move follows earlier U.S. announcements that its military aircraft would not identify themselves according to the new Chinese rules.

China said its only aircraft carrier is on a training mission in the South China Sea, where Beijing is engaged in tense territorial disputes with several of its neighbors.

Chinese naval officials described the carrier's mission as routine, saying it will conduct scientific research, tests and military drills.

Many of China's neighbors accuse it of being more aggressive in recent years in defending its maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Beijing has overlapping territorial claims with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

The leader of Thailand's anti-government protests is calling on supporters to take over more government buildings across the country Wednesday in an escalation of efforts to oust the prime minister.

Opposition-led protesters expanded their bid to occupy or shut down key state buildings in Bangkok Tuesday, with rallies targeting four more government ministries.

3.4 million people remain displaced since Typhoon Haiyan struck Philippines more than two weeks ago.

Authorities are building temporary housing.

Simone Orendain has the details.

Officials say the worst-hit provinces of Leyte and Samar are showing signs of recovery. They note that banks are reopening, small markets are in business and in some places more than three quarters of the debris that clogged the streets has been removed. This has opened up roads to transportation services.

But Super Typhoon Haiyan obliterated and destroyed more than a million houses.

Presidential spokesman Sonny Coloma said providing housing is a priority.

Simone Orendain,VOA News,MANILA.

In Burma,authorities say they have charged 93 people in connection with last month's sectarian violence in the western town of Thandwe,leaving at least seven people dead and dozens of homes burned down.

Officials say the charges range from assault to arson and supporting the violence between Buddhists and Muslims.

The commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army says his group will not participate in a peace conference planned for January in Geneva and intends to pursue its fight to topple President Bashar al-Assad regardless.

General Salim Idriss told Al Jazeera television Tuesday that "conditions are not suitable for running the Geneva 2 talks" and that the FSA "will not stop combat at all during the Geneva conference or after it."

The World Health Organization said it has confirmed two new cases of polio in Syria.

The virus infected a child in rural Damascus and another in the northern city of Aleppo.

An outbreak of 15 cases was found in northeastern Syria last month, prompting the largest-ever polio immunization campaign in the region.

India Tuesday marked the fifth anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead.

Anjana Pasricha has more.

At a memorial in South Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister, Prithviraj Chavan, and other leaders paid homage and laid floral tributes to the men and women who fell victim to the ten terrorists who sneaked into Mumbai in a fishing trawler five years ago.

The city had reeled under the sound of gun shots for 60 hours as they assaulted multiple targets - two five star hotels, a popular café, a rail station and a Jewish Center.

As that trauma recedes, Mumbai went about business as usual on Tuesday.

Anjana Pasricha,VOA News,NEW DELHI.

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych will attend this week's summit with the European Union despite his government's last minute decision not to sign a landmark trade agreement with the EU in favor of increasing ties with Russia.

EU leaders have accused Russia of exerting political and economic pressure on Ukraine to delay the signing of the political and trade agreement.