Moscow's military force in Syria has grown to about 4,000 personnel, but this and more than a month of Russian air strikes have not led to pro-government forces making significant territorial gains, U.S. security officials and independent experts said.

• November 4, 2015

In Yemen's humid southern port of Aden, Saudi Arabian soldiers in armored cars patrol streets where jihadists lurk. In Marib, east of the capital Sanaa, they fight alongside tribesmen in the hills. From the skies above, their jets fire down missiles.

• November 3, 2015

China's vice president pledged infrastructure and security support for Afghanistan on Tuesday, signing several deals during a rare high-level Chinese visit to Kabul.

• November 3, 2015

The U.S. Navy plans to conduct patrols within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands in the South China Sea about twice a quarter to remind China and other countries about U.S. rights under international law, a U.S. defense official said on Monday.

• November 3, 2015

Oil prices fell on Monday after soft Chinese factory data raised worries about energy demand in the No. 2 economy, while record high Russian crude output suggested little easing in the global supply glut.

• November 2, 2015

China and France agreed on Monday to push for long-term monitoring of a U.N. accord to combat climate change due in Paris next month by reviewing cuts in greenhouse gas emissions every five years.

• November 2, 2015

The U.S. Department of Defense spent nearly $43 million on a gas station in northern Afghanistan and has been unable to explain why it cost so much, a U.S. special inspector reported on Monday.

• November 2, 2015

United Arab Emirates airlines Emirates [EMIRA.UL], Air Arabia AIRA.DU and flydubai said on Sunday they were re-routing flights to avoid Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, where a Russian aircraft carrying 224 passengers crashed on Saturday.

• November 1, 2015