Syria’s Assad is defiant in rare speech
President dashes hopes that a negotiated settlement to nation’s civil war would be feasible anytime soon.
Israel warily watches shifts across its frontier with Syria
Israelis fear chemical weapons, militant attacks from across the border if Syria’s Assad is ousted.
Syrian lawyers prep for war-crimes trials
Even as the conflict Members of the Free Syrian Lawyers Committee say they hope their work will prevent revenge killings.
Fatah’s rally signals new ties to Hamas
Rival Islamist factions draw closer in wake of Fatah’s clashes with Israel and U.N. Palestinian statehood vote.
Is al-Jazeera too soft on Qatar?
Even as it celebrates its purchase of Current TV, media network faces tough questions about its coverage.
Photo Gallery
Fighting in Syria
Violence escalates between government and opposition forces in key Syrian cities.
Latest Headlines
- Syrian information minister criticizes West for rejecting Bashar Assad's peace plan
- Africa rises, China falls on Christian persecution list
- Algerian terrorist convicted in 2003 kidnappings of European tourists, given life sentence
- Main roads flooded, Israeli helicopter rescues family, during fiercest rainstorm in decades
- Adam Schreck named Associated Press bureau chief in Iraq
- US Senator says Israel should not worry about Hagel, Obama's choice for defense secretary
- Report: Iran seizes 2 Saudi fishing boats, charging they entered Iranian waters
- Opponents take final shot at Israeli leader in televised election ads
Photos from around the region
Islamists in Egypt
Since ousting Mubarak, the Islamists and liberals have quarreled over Egypt’s religious tenor.
Palin makes trip to holy site in Jerusalem
Palin visited a Jewish holy site in Jerusalem soon after arriving in Israel.
Making demands across the Middle East
Demonstrations inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia quickly spread.
Making demands across the Middle East
Demonstrations inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia quickly spread.
Clearing Tahrir Square
Egypt’s army and military police try to clear the last protesters from Cairo's main square.
After Egypt’s regime change
Ruling council says it will run the country for six months, or until elections are held.
Special Reports
Faces of the Fallen
Portraits of U.S. service members who have died in Operation Enduring Freedom and in Iraq.
Elsewhere in World
Asia / Pacific
Africa
- UN wants to use surveillance drones in conflict-wracked Congo but faces opposition from Rwanda
- UN blames Sudan government, southern rebels for humanitarian crisis; Nearly 1 million need aid
- Raging fire burns through waterfront slum of sawmills and shacks in Nigeria's largest city
- Algerian terrorist convicted in 2003 kidnappings of European tourists, given life sentence
Middle East
- UN blames Sudan government and rebels for humanitarian crisis; 900,000 need aid
- Wet, wintry weather brings fresh misery to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey
- Tunisian suspect in attack on U.S. consulate in Libya freed for lack of evidence
- Main roads flooded, Israeli helicopter rescues family, during fiercest rainstorm in decades
Europe
- Italy's foreign minister says 3 Italians, 1 Ukrainian kidnapped Dec. 23 off Nigeria freed
- Italy's foreign minister says 3 Italians kidnapped Dec. 23 off Nigeria have been freed
- Czech center-right government survives crisis after junior coalition party decides to stay
- French budget minister Jerome Cahuzac faces tax evasion allegations
The Americas
- Report: Brazil's Lula to face investigation in cash-for-votes scheme
- Venezuela lawmakers postpone Chavez's inauguration, opposition says it violates constitution
- Killing of 4 by feral dogs in Mexico opens debate on dog care, sympathy for seized animals
- Venezuelan government says Hugo Chavez won't attend scheduled swearing-in
National Security
- Gov't spent $18 billion on immigration enforcement in 2012, topping all other federal officers
- Obama chooses Hagel as defense chief, calls him 'the leader our troops deserve'
- Pentagon mulls whether to open more battle zone jobs to women, but how many really want them?
- Obama administration rejects Syrian president's plan to stay in power, begin peace process