Ukrainian Govt Troops Take Over Much of LuhanskAfter days of street battles and weeks of shelling, Ukrainian troops made a significant push Wednesday into rebel-held territory, claiming control over a large part of the separatist stronghold of Luhansk and nearly encircling Donetsk, the largest rebel-held city.
Obama, Allies Vow Firm Response to Islamic StateThe United States stood firm Wednesday in its fight against Islamic State militants who beheaded a U.S. journalist in Iraq, pledging to continue attacking the group despite its threats to kill another American hostage.
Obama Weighs Broader Move on Legal ImmigrationPresident Barack Obama is considering key changes in the nation's immigration system requested by tech, industry and powerful interest groups, in a move that could blunt Republicans' election-year criticism of the president's go-it-alone approach to immigration.
Another American Hostage at Risk by Islamic StateIn a horrifying act of revenge for U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq, militants with the Islamic State extremist group have beheaded American journalist James Foley—and are threatening to kill another hostage, U.S. officials say.
Israel, Gaza Militants Trade Fire After Talks FailPalestinian militants launched dozens of rockets and Israel responded with airstrikes on Wednesday after Egyptian efforts to mediate a lasting truce in the monthlong Gaza war collapsed in a hail of fire a day earlier.
Ukraine's Rebel Capital Seeks Ersatz NormalityAs fighting edges closer to the center of Donetsk in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands have fled a city once home to 1 million people. The bustle of a major industrial center has given way to the stillness of fear.
Mississippi Man Shot After Cross Burning in YardA Mississippi sheriff says a man was beaten and shot two weeks after calling authorities to report a cross burning in his yard, and investigators are trying to determine whether the attack was prompted by people being upset that the …
New Report Warns of Anti-Aircraft Weapons in SyriaArmed groups in Syria have an estimated several hundred portable anti-aircraft missiles that could easily be diverted to extremists and used to destroy low-flying commercial planes, according to a new report by a respected international research group. It cites the …
US Won't Reveal Records on Health Website SecurityAfter promising not to withhold government information over "speculative or abstract fears," the Obama administration has concluded it will not publicly disclose federal records that could shed light on the security of the government's health care website because doing so …
Syria Strikes Militants as US Targets Them in IraqAs the U.S. military strikes the Islamic State group in Iraq, Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces have significantly stepped up their own campaign against militant strongholds in Syria, carrying out dozens of airstrikes against the group's headquarters in the past …
No Welfare Cut for Kids if Parent Tests for DrugsMississippi children would not lose welfare if a parent's benefits are cut off because of positive tests for illegal drugs, according to rules set by the state Department of Human Services.
Pope OKs Protecting Iraq Minorities, Wants UN OKPope Francis on Monday said efforts to stop Islamic militants from attacking religious minorities in Iraq are legitimate but said the international community—and not just one country—should decide how to intervene.
Obama: Iraq Forces Retake Mosul Dam from MilitantsIraqi and Kurdish forces recaptured Iraq's largest dam from Islamic militants Monday following dozens of U.S. airstrikes, President Barack Obama said, in the first major defeat for the extremists since they swept across the country this summer.
Pathologist: 'We Don't Know' If Missouri Teen Shot With Hands UpAn unarmed teenager whose fatal shooting by police has sparked rancorous protests in suburban St. Louis suffered a bullet wound to his right arm that could indicate his hands were up or his back was turned, but "we don't know," …