Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he would start pulling his armed forces out of Syria, five months after he ordered a military intervention that turned the tide of the war in favor of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

• March 14, 2016

Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Monday he will meet his Australian counterpart next week to discuss China's military buildup in the disputed South China Sea and hold talks with fellow claimants the Philippines and Vietnam.

• March 14, 2016

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called for world powers to take "immediate punitive steps" against Iran, following its ballistic missile tests last week.

• March 12, 2016

The U.S. State Department for the first time on Friday accused Syria of violating a truce with rebels and urged Russia to use its influence to stop the attacks, warning they could "tear asunder" the fragile peace process aimed at ending the war.

• March 12, 2016

Russian warplanes were said to have launched heavy strikes on the Islamic State-held city of Palmyra on Thursday in what may be a prelude to a Syrian government bid to recapture the historic site lost to the jihadist group last May.

• March 10, 2016

China is taking a "distinctly Chinese approach" to national security with a raft of new laws, including one on counterterrorism, the third-ranked leader said on Wednesday, offering a strong rebuttal to Western criticism.

• March 9, 2016

The main Syrian opposition council said on Wednesday the agenda proposed by the United Nations for peace talks was positive and it had noted fewer government violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement in the past day.

• March 9, 2016

Russia's Defense Ministry has said it was ready to give access to its military bases in Syria for humanitarian aid deliveries.

• March 7, 2016