(The Daily Star)- A cease-fire to allow wounded civilians and rebels to leave besieged parts of Aleppo has been extended into the weekend by Russia, but hoped-for medical evacuations didn't materialize by Friday evening because of a lack of security guarantees, officials and residents said....

(The Daily Star)- Some 1,400 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean were rescued Thursday off the coast of Libya, according to the Italian coastguard, which coordinated the operations conducted mainly by aid ships. Attempts at the dangerous crossing are continuing despite worsening...

This farming village east of Mosul was turned into a bunker during more than two years of Islamic State rule: A network of tunnels and cramped living quarters betrays an extremist group increasingly forced to operate underground by a punishing air campaign and mounting territorial losses....

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Zabadani's local council west of  Damascus, in statement, said the most recent batch of United Nations food rations delivered to residents remaining in the town contained rice “unsuitable for human or animal consumption.” The assistance was delivered on 25 September...