Violence rages on Damascus outskirts: monitor
Syrian rebels and government troops clashed Sunday in restive districts of Damascus, a monitoring group said, as representatives of the warring sides met for peace talks in Geneva.
No hint of compromise as Syria peace talks enter day two
Syria's peace conference moved into a second day Thursday with the warring sides showing no willingness to compromise as global powers seek to engineer head-to-head talks on ending the bloodshed.
Assad's future a 'red line' for peace talks: Syria FM
The future role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a "red line" for the government delegation in peace talks, the foreign minister said Tuesday on the eve of their opening.
Syrian opposition meets to decide on peace talks
The divided Syrian opposition will meet Friday in Istanbul to decide whether to join next week's landmark peace talks, as its Arab and Western allies ratchet up the pressure for it to attend.
Car bomb in Lebanon town near Syria kills three: medic
A powerful car bomb explosion killed at least three people and wounded 20 Thursday in downtown Hermel, a stronghold of Lebanon's Hezbollah near the border with Syria.
Putin plots Syria strategy with Iran's Zarif
Russia launches a fresh round of Syrian diplomacy on Thursday when it receives the foreign minister of Iran before hosting his counterpart from Syria ahead of historic peace talks on the bloody crisis.
Donors in major fundraising push for Syria
Donors gathered in Kuwait Wednesday in a major fundraising drive for 13 million Syrians affected by war following a record UN appeal for $6.5 billion.
Kerry seeks to bridge US-Russia gap with potatoes
After months of tension between the US and Russia, US Secretary of State John Kerry sought to bridge the diplomatic gap by giving his Russian counterpart an unusual gift of potatoes.
Iran's Zarif to visit Syria ahead of peace talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is due to travel to Tehran ally Damascus in the next few days, media reported Sunday, amid preparations for a Syria peace conference.
Russia blocks new UN Syria statement
Russia on Wednesday blocked a British-drafted UN Security Council statement condemning the Syrian government attacks on the city of Aleppo, diplomats said.
First chemical arms material shipped out of Syria
The first shipment of chemical weapons materials left Latakia port Tuesday under a deal to rid Syria of its chemical arsenal.
Syria opposition re-elects Jarba as leader
Syria's main opposition National Coalition re-elected Ahmad Jarba as its leader during a general assembly meeting in Istanbul on Sunday, the coalition said in a statement.
Important library in north Lebanon torched
A decades-old library owned by a Greek Orthodox priest in north Lebanon's majority Sunni city of Tripoli was torched late Friday, a day after a sectarian scuffle, a security source said.
Australia's WikiLeaks Party under fire for Assad talks
Whistleblowing group WikiLeaks said Tuesday it had no knowledge of and did not approve a delegation to Syria which met President Bashar al-Assad and included members of Australia's WikiLeaks Party.
Pope marks first Christmas as crowds flock to Bethlehem
Pope Francis held his first Christmas Eve mass in the Vatican on Tuesday by highlighting the role played by humble shepherds in the Nativity, as thousands flocked to the historic site of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem.
Kazakhstan not sending peacekeepers to Syria
According to Kazakhstan ex-Permanent Representative in the UN Senator Byrganym Aitimova, Kazakhstan will not send any peacekeepers to Syria.
Syria views Saudi as number one enemy
Syria now views Saudi Arabia as its number one enemy and accuses it of trying to destroy the country by arming jihadists and other rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
Chemical watchdog approves Syria plan despite delays
The world's chemical watchdog on Tuesday agreed the final details of a plan to destroy Syria's arsenal, vowing to push ahead with the unprecedented project despite delays.
UN chief says Syria chemical attackers should be sanctioned
UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on the international community Friday to sanction those responsible for Syrian chemical weapons attacks documented in a newly released report.
Assad win may be Syria's best option: ex-CIA chief
The sectarian bloodbath in Syria is such a threat to regional security that a victory for Bashar al-Assad's regime could the best outcome to hope for, a former CIA chief said Thursday.