IRAQ

Opponents of the Syrian government, including France, slammed the parliamentary elections taking place Wednesday as a sham.

While the Islamic State group has focused on attacks in Europe, its numbers have decreased in Syria and Iraq, the U.S. says.

U2 lead singer Bono joined diplomats and aid experts on Tuesday to appeal for U.S. Senate support.

Only 13 percent of respondents to a recent survey said they’d support the Islamic State group even if it became less violent.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has been accused of using chemical weapons on his own people, but ally Iran continues to support him.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rejects Bernie Sanders’ contention Israel’s retaliation for rockets was disproportionate.

Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of the domestic intelligence agency, said authorities are still unaware of any concrete terrorist attack plans in the country.

Most of the weapons being offered online originate from Russia, a study found, with heavy machine guns making up the majority of the offerings.

Turkey has been hit by four suicide bombings already this year, the most recent one last month in Istanbul.

Washington’s decision to deploy its powerful bombers to Al Udeid Air Base comes as the U.S. military steps up its fight against the terrorist group.

Operations late Friday may be in response to fears of reprisal attacks after a key Paris-Brussels suspect and others were arrested earlier, a report said.

A group called “Jahba East Africa” has pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, calling him the “rightful khalifa (leader) of all Muslims.”

Freelance photographer Kevin Patrick Dawes, 33, was kidnapped after traveling to Syria from Turkey in 2012.

Although the number of people applying for asylum in Germany has fallen by over 60 percent, officials worry new routes into Europe could sprout.

The worries come following an assault on a cement factory 30 miles east of the Syrian capital city.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been embedding with local governing institutions in Yemen, offering vital social services in the impoverished country.

A new plan aimed at outbound travelers is part of efforts worldwide to curb the number of ISIS sympathizers traveling to the Middle East.

The latest string of assaults targeting the Syrian military is seen as retaliation for recent losses.

Adm. Michael Rogers, who oversees the military’s cyberspace operations, voiced concern over a possible ISIS attack on critical U.S. infrastructure.

The move comes amid criticism the country has received for failing to stem attacks by the Islamic State group.

The latest message includes vague threats against several major European cities, including Rome, London and Berlin.