Syrian troops gain as Putin defends strikes
By SARAH EL DEEB and LYNN BERRY Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes advanced against insurgents in the center of the country as President Vladimir Putin defended Moscow’s intervention in…
Terrorism
Turkish PM says deadly attacks likely were suicide bombings
By SUZAN FRASER Two nearly simultaneous explosions targeted a Turkish peace rally Saturday by Kurdish activists and opposition supporters in Ankara. At least 86 people were killed and nearly 190…
Tragedies befall American heroes since French train attack
By DON THOMPSON and JULIE WATSON Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone, who helped stop a terror attack on a French train over the summer, was stabbed and seriously wounded Thursday…
Syrian general lauds Russian strikes amid ground offensive
By ALBERT AJI and SARAH EL DEEB Syria’s chief-of-staff on Thursday declared a wide-ranging ground offensive by government forces, a day after Russian airstrikes and cruise missiles launched from the…
INVESTIGATION: Nuclear smugglers sought extremist buyers
By DESMOND BUTLER and VADIM GHIRDA In the backwaters of Eastern Europe, authorities working with the FBI have interrupted four attempts in the past five years by gangs with suspected…
Jordanian MP says son joined IS, carried out suicide attack
By HAMZA AL-SOUD A Jordanian parliament member said he learned from Islamic State-linked media that his son carried out a suicide attack in Iraq, three months after dropping out of…
The Latest: France says Russia didn’t appear to target IS
The latest developments as Russia and other nations counter Islamic State militants in Syria. All times local: 7:40 p.m. France’s Foreign Minister says “initial indications” show Russian airstrikes in Syria…
Israel has failed to reform Jewish radicals, critics charge
By DANIEL ESTRIN The Israeli government initiative has a soothing biblical name, the Hebrew Shepherd, and a serious aim: to keep ultranationalist Jewish settler youths from turning to violence and…