A special investigative group has been established to look into the circumstances surrounding the brief war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008.

• May 14, 2013

Austria will resist British-led efforts to lift or dilute a European Union arms embargo on Syrian rebels, Chancellor Werner Faymann said on Tuesday, arguing that more weapons would only fan the fighting and may snuff out chances for peace talks.

• May 14, 2013

Iran's foreign minister has condemned the use of chemical weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.

• May 13, 2013

If Iran's supreme leader were to write a job description for the country's next president, loyalty and obedience to the Islamic establishment would be high on the list of requirements.

• May 13, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned the sale of sophisticated surface-to-air Russian missiles to Syria would be "potentially destabilizing" for the region.

• May 10, 2013

Israel has asked Russia not to sell Syria an advanced air defence system that would help President Bashar al-Assad fend off foreign military intervention as he battles a more than two-year-old rebellion, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

• May 10, 2013

Israel has asked Russia not to sell Syria an advanced air defense system which would help President Bashar al-Assad fend off foreign military intervention as he battles a more than two-year-old rebellion, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

• May 9, 2013

Russia and the United States have announced they will encourage the rebels in Syria and Damascus government to hold talks on a political transition to end more than two years of bloodshed that has left some 70,000 dead.

• May 8, 2013