Stroking a Persian leopard sprawled on his lap, tough-guy President Vladimir Putin showed his softer side Tuesday as he prepared to welcome the world to his budget-busting Winter Olympics. Basking in the glow of support from International Olympic Committee Chairman Thomas Bach, Putin...

The United Nations has accused both sides to the Syria conflict of grave violations against children. Children caught in the Syrian war are being recruited as child soldiers, used as human shields, and tortured, according to a new UN report. The report, released on...

Syrian army helicopters carried out new raids over the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday, dropping explosive-packed barrel bombs as they press a punishing aerial assault, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported multiple barrel bomb attacks across...

Russia offered assurances on Tuesday that the Syrian government will show up at a new round of peace talks next week and will soon ship more toxic agents abroad for destruction under a deal to eliminate its chemical weapons arsenal. The statements appeared intended to ease Western...