Senior al-Qaida commander killed in an airstrike in Syria
By BASSEM MROUE An airstrike has killed a top al-Qaida commander and two other fighters in Syria, activists said Saturday, but it was not immediately clear whether it was carried…
Drone aircraft
American, Italian hostages killed in US drone strike
By JULIE PACE An American and an Italian held hostage by al-Qaida, as well as two Americans working with the terror group, were inadvertently killed by CIA drone strikes early…
AP Essay: ‘Jihadi John’ won’t have the same impact unmasked
By GREGORY KATZ As “Jihadi John,” he was a terrifying figure, his identity concealed by a black mask, his threatening tone backed up by his oversize, serrated knife and his…
Drone on: US proposes rules for the era of drones
By JOAN LOWY Drone on, the government says.Just not through the night sky. Or close to an airport. Or out of the operator’s sight. And probably not winging its way…
Yemen’s al-Qaida thrives on Sunni backlash to Shiite rebels
Al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen is surging in strength, finding new support and recruits among the country’s Sunni tribesmen, in a backlash to drone strikes and the rise to power of…
FAA, industry launch drone safety campaign
By JOAN LOWY Alarmed by increasing encounters between small drones and manned aircraft, drone industry officials said Monday they are teaming up with the government and model aircraft hobbyists to…
Poll: Americans skeptical of commercial drones
By JOAN LOWY and JENNIFER AGIESTA Americans are skeptical that the benefits of the heralded drone revolution will outweigh the risks to privacy and safety, although a majority approve of…
American, South African hostages killed in Yemen
By JULIE PACE and AHMED AL-HAJ An American photojournalist and a South African teacher were killed Saturday during a high-risk, U.S.-led raid to free them from al-Qaida-affiliated militants in Yemen,…