Syrian official rules out Assad departure ahead of talks
By ZEINA KARAM and ALBERT AJI A top Syrian official urged the opposition to let go of its dream of easing President Bashar Assad out of power in a transitional…
International incidents
Kerry backs Iraqi leader, no planned increase in US troops
By BRADLEY KLAPPER and SUSANNAH GEORGE U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry backed Iraq’s prime minister on Friday in his efforts to resolve a mounting political crisis, underlining the importance…
Egypt plane drama ends: hijacker arrested, passengers freed
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS and HAMZA HENDAWI An Egyptian man wearing a fake explosives belt who hijacked a domestic EgyptAir flight and forced it to land in Cyprus on Tuesday has…
Iran fires 2 missiles marked with ‘Israel must be wiped out
By JON GAMBRELL Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase “Israel must be wiped out” written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of strength by…
Europe’s crisis worsens: Migrants face razor wire, tear gas
Pressed against coils of razor wire and shouting “Help us!,” refugees stranded at Greece’s northern border were pushed back Monday by Macedonian police using tear gas and stun grenades, as…
Thousands stranded as Greece becomes a migrant ‘warehouse
By ELENA BECATOROS Greece is fast becoming the “warehouse of human beings” that its government has vowed not to allow. Hastily setup camps for refugees and other migrants are full.…
Pentagon says US bombed IS training camp in Libya
By ROBERT BURNS and MAGGIE MICHAEL American F-15E fighter-bombers struck an Islamic State training camp in rural Libya near the Tunisian border Friday, killing dozens, probably including an IS operative…
Russia denies striking charity’s hospital in Syria
By BASSEM MROUE and LYNN BERRY Russia on Tuesday denied its warplanes carried out strikes on a Syrian hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders that killed at least nine people,…