Purported IS message threatens Japan, Jordan hostages
By MARI YAMAGUCHI and ELAINE KURTENBACH An online message purportedly from the Islamic State group warned Tuesday that a Japanese hostage and Jordanian pilot the extremists hold have less than…
Militant groups
Kurds celebrate ousting Islamic State fighters from Kobani
By ZEINA KARAM Jubilant Kurdish fighters ousted Islamic State militants from the key Syrian border town of Kobani on Monday after a four-month battle — a significant victory for both…
Japan stunned by video claiming death of 1 of 2 IS hostages
By YURI KAGEYAMA From the prime minister to ordinary people, Japanese were shocked Sunday at a video purportedly showing one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State group…
Kerry: Iraq coalition has killed 50 percent of IS leaders
By KEN DILANIAN and JILL LAWLESS Iraq and its allies have made significant gains in battling Islamic State militants, killing thousands of fighters and 50 percent of the group’s top…
Islamic State group threatens to kill 2 Japanese hostages
By JON GAMBRELL and MARI YAMAGUCHI The Islamic State group threatened to kill two Japanese hostages Tuesday unless they receive $200 million in 72 hours, directly demanding the ransom from…
Heavy clashes as Shiite rebels seize Yemen state media
By AHMED AL-HAJ Heavy clashes erupted near the presidential palace in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Monday as Shiite rebels battled soldiers and seized control of state-run media in a move…
France cracks down on hate speech, sends carrier to Mideast
By LORI HINNANT France ordered prosecutors around the country to crack down on hate speech, anti-Semitism and those glorifying terrorism and announced Wednesday it was sending an aircraft carrier to…
Iran eclipses US as Iraq’s ally in fight against militants
By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA In the eyes of most Iraqis, their country’s best ally in the war against the Islamic State group is not the United States and…