BEIRUT: For the first time since its meteoric rise in 2012 amid the chaos of war, al-Qaida’s branch in Syria is in retreat, battling rival militant groups in the north and fighting for survival in a key foothold near the capital, Damascus. Over the past three weeks, the extremist group …

As Cuban President Raul Castro prepares to step down next month, ending his family’s six-decade grip on power, his successor will be faced with major challenges, including the implementation of economic reforms vital for the island’s future. On Sunday, Cubans went to the polls to ratify a new National Assembly, …

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday thanked residents of Crimea for voting to annex the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, calling the move “real democracy” in a speech days ahead of Sunday’s presidential election. “With your decision you restored historical justice,” he told the crowd of supporters in the city …