Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as a “sovereign and independent country,” just hours after the strategic Black Sea peninsula declared it had broken away from Ukraine. The moves triggered the toughest Western sanctions...

    The new U.S. chief envoy for Syria on Monday pledged continued American backing for political opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as   the country’s conflict   moves into a fourth year. “Assad will go to any length to maintain...

U.S. special forces have seized a tanker that fled with a cargo of oil from a Libyan port controlled by anti-government rebels, halting their attempt to sell crude on the global market. Gunmen demanding regional autonomy and a share of oil wealth had managed to load the ship, which...

At least 10 people were killed and 50 wounded in a car bombing on Monday in Zahra'a, pro-regime neighborhood in ‪ the embattl ed city of ‎ Homs, which considered a main supply line for militants fighting with Bashar al-Assad, activists said. (Developing story)