Ahead of truce, Assad vows to retake Syria from ‘terrorists’
By PHILIP ISSA Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed on Monday that his government would take back land from “terrorists” and rebuild the country in remarks made just hours before the…
Russia
US, Russia seal Syria cease-fire, new military partnership
By BRADLEY KLAPPER and JAMEY KEATEN The United States and Russia working in lockstep against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria. A rejuvenated truce that will compel…
Russia: Israel, Palestinian leaders agree to meet for talks
By NATALIYA VASILYEVA Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the Israeli and the Palestinian leaders have agreed “in principle” to meet in Moscow for talks in what the Russians…
Obama cancels meeting with new Philippine President Duterte
By JOSH LEDERMAN and KATHLEEN HENNESSEY President Barack Obama called off a planned meeting Tuesday with new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, seeking distance from a U.S. ally’s leader during a…
US, Russia renew push for elusive agreement on Syria
By MATTHEW LEE and JAMEY KEATEN The United States and Russia on Friday renewed efforts to secure a military and humanitarian cooperation agreement for war-torn Syria after months of hesitation,…
Trump advisers waged covert influence campaign
By JEFF HORWITZ and CHAD DAY A firm run by Donald Trump’s campaign chairman directly orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine’s then-ruling political party, attempting to…
Paul Manafort tied to undisclosed foreign lobbying
By JEFF HORWITZ and DESMOND BUTL Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent…
Russian warplanes take off from Iran to target IS in Syria
By NATALIYA VASILYEVA and BASSEM MROUE Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday from a base in Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, Russia’s Defense Ministry…