(The wall Street Journal)- Russian special-operations forces have played a pivotal part in the Syrian ground offensive to retake Aleppo, a role shielded by secrecy about their operations there. In the wake of Russia’s punishing aerial bombardment, Russian special forces have been operating...

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Syrian parties to resume the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo after operations were suspended in the battered city. "Aleppo is now a synonym for hell," Ban said in his final news conference before he steps down as U.N. chief on Dec. 31....

Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the British envoy in Tehran after the U.K. accused Iran of playing a role in the "suffering" of the people of Syria's Aleppo. The semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, says Iran's foreign...

Tunisia's prime minister said Friday that his government would seek to amend a controversial law that allows men who rape underage girls to avoid punishment by marrying their victims. Youssef Chahed's comments come two weeks after a Tunisian court approved the marriage of a 13-year-old girl...