The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) militants says its air strikes have cut oil production by the group in Syria and Iraq by around 30 percent.

• January 6, 2016

Russia appears to be practicing a bit of "divide-and-conquer" politics in Central Asia, and state-owned Gazprom is spearheading the campaign.

• January 5, 2016

Iran has revealed a previously undisclosed underground bunker housing its latest ballistic missile.

• January 5, 2016

Islamic State (IS) fighters have launched several offensives near the city of Haditha in northwest Iraq in the last 48 hours.

• January 5, 2016

A social network account belonging to Russia's communications minister has been blocked briefly by hackers identifying themselves as a Turkish activist group.

• January 4, 2016

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said talks are needed with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the countries to forge a peace treaty.

• January 4, 2016

Saudi Arabia has cut diplomatic relations with its regional rival, Iran, after attacks on the Saudi Embassy and consulate in Tehran over the execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric by Riyadh.

• January 4, 2016

A new appraisal names the United States as one of the threats to Russia's national security for the first time, a sign of how relations with the west have deteriorated in recent years.

• January 2, 2016