US military captures key Islamic State militant during helicopter raid in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Monday it had captured an operator for the Islamic State extremist group during a helicopter raid in northern Syria. The operator, Abu Halil al-Fad’ani, “was assessed to have relationships throughout the ISIS network in the region,”...

US-backed Kurdish forces impose curfew in eastern Syria after new clashes with rival Arab militia

BEIRUT (AP) — U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces imposed a curfew after clashes erupted again on Monday in eastern Syria, where their fighters had battled for weeks with rival Arab militiamen, Syrian media and activists reported. The fighting in a region where hundreds of American...

UNGA Briefing: There's one more day to go after a break — but first, here's what you missed

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — It's almost the end of the U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting that brings world leaders together at U.N. headquarters in New York. Here are the highlights of what happened Saturday at the United Nations and what to keep an eye on Tuesday, the last day (Monday's off for...

Lebanese and Israeli troops fire tear gas along the tense border in a disputed area

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese army said troops fired tear gas at Israeli soldiers in a disputed area along the tense border Saturday. No one was hurt in the incident. The area where the incident occurred is in Chebaa Farms and the Kfar Chouba hills that were captured by Israel from...

Lebanese troops rescue 27 migrants from sinking boat off Lebanon's coast

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese army and the country’s civil defense recused early Saturday 27 migrants whose boat was sinking off the coast of north Lebanon, the military said in a statement. The army did not say where the migrants were heading nor did it give their nationalities. ...

Cyprus calls on the EU to rethink Syrian safe zones for eventually repatriating Syrian migrants

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus has formally called on the European Union to re-evaluate which areas of Syria can be declared safe and free from armed conflict so that Syrian migrants can eventually be repatriated there, Cypriot authorities said Friday. Interior Minister Constantinos...

Israel strikes alleged Syrian military structures. It says the buildings violated a 1974 cease-fire

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said tanks struck two structures inside a demilitarized zone in Syria on Thursday, claiming the buildings violated a half-century-old cease-fire agreement between the two countries. The structures, it said, were being used by the Syrian...

Syrian President Bashar Assad is in China on his first visit since the beginning of war in Syria

BEIJING (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in China on Thursday on his first visit to the country since the start of Syria's 12-year conflict, one in which Beijing has been one of his main backers. China’s Foreign Ministry said Assad would join other foreign leaders...

Syrian President Bashar Assad arrives in China on his first visit since the beginning of the war in Syria

Syria's Assad will visit China as Beijing boosts its reach in the Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's President Bashar Assad will head to China later this week in his first visit to Beijing since the start of his country's 12-year conflict during which China has been one of his main backers, his office said Tuesday. China has been expanding its reach...