You may not have noticed it – the chair that wasn’t there. The seven-year Syrian civil war is ending with a government victory, aided by Russia and Iran. Talks to end to the war are accelerating. Who is at the table in those talks? Russia, Turkey and Iran. Noticeably, not...
Russia Blames Israel for Plane Shot Down by Syrian Missile
MOSCOW — A Russian reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by a Syrian missile over the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 15 people on board, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. It blamed Israel for the crash, saying the plane was caught in the crossfire as four Israeli fighters attacked targets in...
UN Official: Palestinian Refugee Issue Can't Be Wished Away
JERUSALEM — The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees suggested that the United States slashed his budget early this year to punish the Palestinians for their criticism of the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but he warned that the Palestinian refugee issue will not go away....
Mass Funerals Held in Southern Syria Day After IS Attacks
BEIRUT — Mourners in southern Syria attended mass funerals Thursday for least 216 people killed in coordinated attacks by Islamic State fighters on a usually peaceful city and surrounding countryside. In the worst violence to hit the area since the country's conflict began, the militants also reportedly abducted at least...
What's Powering Trump's Desire To Befriend Russia?
Many people have speculated about why President Donald Trump appears eager to develop a close relationship with Vladimir Putin's Russia. Adam Entous, a Washington, D.C. based reporter for The New Yorker, has done deep reporting that provides new fodder for why Trump is attempting to reverse decades of U.S. foreign policy...
Assad Government Raises Flag Over Cradle of Syrian Revolt
BEIRUT — For the first time in more than seven years, the Syrian government raised its flag Thursday over Daraa, the first city to revolt against President Bashar Assad in 2011 and plunge the country into its calamitous civil war. The display is laden with symbolism as the government moves...
The Syrian War as Told Through the Photographer's Eyes
Seven years ago, during the Arab spring, the people of Syria peacefully protested the government of President Bashar al-Assad and asked for democratic reforms. Assad responded to the protests with violence, triggering a brutal civil war that continues today. The Washington Post published June 29 an emotionally moving photographic essay,...
Putin, Trump Will Hold Summit in Helsinki on July 16
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a summit in Helsinki on July 16, a long-expected encounter that comes amid spiraling tensions between Moscow and Washington. A terse synchronized statement issued by the Kremlin and the White House said Putin and Trump will discuss...
Point-Counterpoint: Iran's Participation in Syrian War
Point: Iran's Real Enemy in Syria “What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women, and children?” President Trump asked Russia and Iran after launching air strikes against the Syrian regime. “The nations of the world can be judged by the friends...
Honor Military Heroes By Ending Needless Secret Wars
Most people, when thinking of Memorial Day — if they don’t confuse it with Veterans Day — think of the start of the summer season or great sales at the stores and online. Yet the holiday is supposed to honor those who died in America’s wars. Even some of the...