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BEIRUT – Smoldering buildings, looted shops, smashed cars and a strong stench of death greeted U.N. observers who entered the nearly deserted Syrian town of Haffa a day after President Bashar Assad’s forces overran it as part of a major offensive to recover rebel-controlled territories. The monitors had been trying to get into the town [...]

JERUSALEM – Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed outrage on Sunday over the the carnage in Syria. Israel also accused Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah of playing a part in the bloodshed. Israel is anxiously watching developments in the neighboring country, fearing widening instability in the region. With dozens killed in ferocious weekend battles, [...]

BEIRUT – Troops loyal to the Syrian leader Basahar al-Assad shelled the city of Daraa on Saturday, killing at least 17 people. Violence and shooting has also been reported in Damascus, the country’s capital, where the uprising against Assad began more than a year ago. The overnight violence across the country is a big blow [...]

CAIRO (AP) – Hosni Mubarak’s health has sharply deteriorated, days after he was sentenced to life in prison, and specialists were evaluating whether to transfer him to a better-equipped hospital outside the penal system, security officials said. The deposed leader’s health scare on Wednesday added to the uncertainty engulfing Egypt, where powerful political groups are [...]

ISTANBUL (AP) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Syria Thursday to stop its attacks, saying U.N. observers monitoring the ceasefire were not there to watch the killing of innocent people. “We are there to record violations and to speak out so that the perpetrators of crimes may be held to account,” Ban told a [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – U.S. Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman say America must show stronger international leadership to halt the violence in Syria. Both men say they believe Syria could become a significant issue in this year’s presidential campaign. McCain told reporters during a visit to Malaysia on Thursday that it is “embarrassing” [...]

BEIRUT (AP) – A weekend massacre of more than 100 people has emerged as a potential turning point in the Syrian crisis, galvanizing even staunch ally Russia to take an unusually hard line against President Bashar Assad’s government. Analysts said Russia may be warning Assad that he needs to change course or lose Moscow’s support, [...]

BEIRUT (AP) – Mohamed Nizar says he and his fellow rebels have the will, the fervor and the money to bring down Syrian President Bashar Assad. What they lack, he says, is the firepower. “If I make a phone call, I’ll have maybe 2,000 Stingers,” Nizar said, then acknowledged he could not get the shoulder-launched [...]

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syria says counting is under way after parliamentary elections, a vote that the U.S. has said “borders on ludicrous.” President Bashar Assad’s regime praised Monday’s election as a milestone in promised reforms and said officials were counting ballots Tuesday. The opposition boycotted the polls and said they were designed to strengthen Assad’s [...]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Bahrain Grand Prix returns this week to the divided Gulf nation, where two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s bid to salvage his season is likely to be overshadowed by anti-government demonstrations and suffocating security. The last-minute decision to go ahead with Sunday’s race, canceled last year due to anti-government protests [...]