US role in Syria brings push for Congress vote on new war powers

In the fight against the Islamic State group, members of Congress talk tough against extremism, but many want to run for cover when it comes to voting on new war powers to fight the militants, preferring to let the president own the battle.

Investigators ’90 percent sure’ bomb downed Russian plane

Investigators of the Russian plane crash in Egypt are “90 percent sure” the noise heard in the final second of a cockpit recording was an explosion caused by a bomb, a member of the investigation team told Reuters on Sunday.

US: Strikes against ISIS to increase

S and coalition forces are likely to increase air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria in coming weeks after a lull in September and October, the head of US Air Forces Central Command said Saturday.

Russian weapons chief: S-300 deal with Iran has been signed

Russia and Iran have signed a contract on Moscow’s delivery of the advanced S-300 missile defense system to the Islamic Republic, Sergei Chemezov, chief executive of Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec, said Monday.

Islamic State Gains Ground in Syria

The Islamic State has continued to make gains in central Syria amid a barrage of Russian airstrikes that have mostly targeted rebel groups elsewhere in the country, according to reports.

Al Qaeda leader hints at ‘unity’ with Islamic State

U.S. intelligence officials say al Qaeda has seen its standing as the leader of the global jihad movement “dented,” and regard an audio recording reportedly released over the weekend by the group’s leader as an attempt to reclaim its prominence.

Crunch talks for Merkel on refugee crisis as thousands more arrive

Nearly 10,000 refugees continued to arrive in Germany daily, police said on Saturday, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the country’s stretched border staff ahead of a crunch meeting between Angela Merkel and a Bavarian ally on the crisis.

New U.S. Combat Mission in Iraq Is Not New

When Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced Tuesday that the U.S. would begin “direct action” against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq, it sounded like a new mission for U.S. forces in a country where the president has repeatedly insisted Americans would not be engaged in combat operations.

Angry China shadows U.S. warship near man-made islands

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer sailed close to one of China’s man-made islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday, drawing an angry rebuke from Beijing, which said it had tracked and warned the ship and called in the U.S. ambassador to protest.

Russia reportedly just sent its version of Delta Force to Syria

Russia has confirmed sending special forces troops to Syria over the past few weeks to support its mission backing the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

U.S., allies demand U.N. council action after Iran missile test

The United States, Britain, France and Germany sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee on Wednesday notifying it of Tehran’s recent missile test and demanded action in response to what they said was a violation.

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