BEIRUT (AP) – The Syrian president on Wednesday assured Russia’s Vladimir Putin of Damascus’ commitment to a Russia-U.S. proposed truce, even as a spokesman for a Saudi-backed alliance of Syrian opposition and rebel factions expressed “major concerns” about the ceasefire, due to begin later this week. Salem Al Meslet, spokesman …

NUSSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip (AP) – The clothes were faded and worn out, and came from an unlikely place: Israel. But that didn’t bother the Palestinian women rummaging through piles of tattered jeans, shirts, jackets and baby clothing at the weekly flea market in a refugee camp in central …

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea’s description of South Korea’s president as an “old, insane bitch” destined for violent death may take the rivals’ hateful propaganda battle to a new level of hostility, which is saying something for neighbors with such a long, bloody history of hating each other’s …

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Move over, Apple and Samsung. The next big smartphone might be from little-known Chinese brands such as TCL and OPPO. Along with other Chinese phone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, Chinese brands have surpassed Samsung in China and are encroaching on Apple’s turf. In …

CALAIS, France (AP) – The Latest on the migrant influx into Europe (all times local): 12:35 p.m. The head of Europe’s border control agency says it’s proving near-impossible to return to Turkey migrants who arrive in Greece but have no case for asylum in the European Union. Frontex chief Fabrice …

IDOMENI, Greece (AP) – Greece made a strongly worded complaint to Austria Tuesday for drastically restricting migrant crossings, as police at the Greek border with Macedonia removed hundreds of Afghan migrants stranded at a camp there. Athens has criticized Austria’s decision last week to cap the daily number of asylum …

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – The Syrian government and the main umbrella for Syrian opposition and rebel groups announced Tuesday their conditional acceptance of a proposed U.S.-Russian cease fire that the international community hopes will bring them back to the negotiating table in Geneva for talks to end the war. The …

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) – Burundi’s president promises to release 2,000 people detained during months of violent unrest, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday while visiting the violence-plagued country. Ban spoke after meeting with President Pierre Nkurunziza on Tuesday, as well as meetings with officials from Burundi’s ruling party, government, …

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Talks in Kabul Tuesday between representatives of four countries trying to end Afghanistan’s war with the Taliban are likely to set a date for a face-to-face meeting between the two sides, an Afghan official said. Representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States are meeting …

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Move over, Apple and Samsung. The next big smartphone might be from little-known Chinese brands such as TCL and OPPO. Along with other Chinese phone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, Chinese brands have surpassed Samsung in China and are encroaching on Apple’s turf. In …