As Syria steps out of its diplomatic isolation, calls for reconstruction are mooted by former opponents seeking to justify their relations and by the Syrians themselves, eager to capitalize on their new friendships. The recent dalliance with the Assad regime does not, however, illustrate the...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis opened a big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church on Wednesday by saying it was in need of repair to make it a place of welcome for “everyone, everyone, everyone,” not a rigid barricade riven by fears and ideology. Francis presided over a solemn...

Russian air defenses shot down 31 Ukrainian drones in a nighttime attack on border regions, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday, in what appeared to be Kyiv’s largest single cross-border drone assault reported by Moscow since it launched its invasion 20 months ago. The Defense...

Prisoners were routinely abused, tortured and left to die at a Syrian military hospital in Damascus, according to a damning report published on Tuesday. Sick prisoners sent from detention centers for treatment at the Tishreen Military Hospital rarely received any medical attention. Instead,...