MOSCOW (AP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia and Qatar have agreed on what they could do to encourage the Syrian opposition to sit down for talks with the Syrian government. Lavrov said Friday he would not disclose further details about the agreement. Russia is a staunch supporter …

WASHINGTON (AP) – Long before Ben Carson became one of the leading Republican presidential candidates, he built his own brand by traveling around the country raising money for a charity that bears his name, awarding college scholarships, promoting his books and earning hefty payments to speak to large groups. Carson’s …

NEW YORK (AP) – Kiddie tablets have grown up. Tablets designed just for kids are getting more sophisticated as they face increased competition from regular tablets. The new products also have better screens, speedier chips and fashionably slim bodies. They let older children do more, yet hold their hands until …

JERUSALEM (AP) – Four Palestinians were killed on Thursday, among them three who Israel said were carrying out attacks on soldiers in the West Bank, the latest in a three month-long wave of unrelenting Israeli-Palestinian violence. The four separate incidents came as revelers were gathering in the West Bank city …

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) – Christian faithful from around the world descended Thursday on the biblical city of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, as an outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence dampened the typically festive mood. Before the celebrations began, Israeli authorities said three Palestinians involved …

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Afghan forces backed by U.S. air strikes pushed back a Taliban onslaught Thursday in a strategically important district in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, officials said. Sangin district had been besieged by the insurgents for weeks before an uptick in the ferocity of the fight …

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) – After his morning prayers at the mosque, 25-year-old Mamadou Aliou Ba puts on his Santa suit, the padded belly protruding from his thin, tall frame, and goes to work. He stands proudly, smiling from behind a snowy white mustache and beard that take over his face, …

JERUSALEM (AP) – Ahmad Sub-Laban’s family has lived for decades under threat of eviction from their home overlooking the gold-topped Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem’s Old City. The experience inspired the 37-year-old Palestinian father of two to become a researcher for groups fighting attempts by Jewish settlers to move …

NEW YORK (AP) – With the launch of Samsung’s Gear VR headset a few weeks ago, virtual reality for the masses is finally a thing. Now comes the next big challenge: Who, exactly, will care? If you’re a gamer, the appeal of immersing yourself in a virtual world might be …