The Afghan Taliban launched their "spring offensive" Friday, heralding fresh fighting in the drawn-out conflict as embattled security forces struggle to recover from a devastating attack on a military base one week ago. Operation Mansouri -- named after the group's former leader, who was...

( The Guardian )- Boris Johnson has signalled the UK could join any US military action against Syria without parliamentary approval, prompting an outcry from politicians from across the spectrum. Johnson said he and the prime minister agreed that in the event of another chemical attack by...

( Al-Arabiya )- The UN refugee agency on Thursday chose as a goodwill ambassador a Syrian teenage girl who helped save a boat carrying fellow refugees and later became an Olympic swimmer. Yusra Mardini joined other notables like actress Cate Blanchett and author Khaled Hosseini in the unpaid...

Brazil was hit hardest on Thursday by FIFA for homophobic chanting by its supporters during World Cup qualifying, with Argentina and Mexico also fined. Nine football associations were punished in all by FIFA's Disciplinary Committee "for incidents involving, among others, unsporting and...