Syria

In a statement, her family said they had received information the 26-year-old was dead. Mueller, who was captured in August 2013, was a prisoner of the self-described Islamic State when she died.

Word that some communication is taking place helps explain how military jets from the U.S.-led coalition and Syria have avoided clashing as they attack targets on the ground.

We do not have confirmation of her fate, but her family says the American hostage is Kayla Mueller, an aid worker from Prescott, Ariz.

A manifesto posted online by the al-Khanssaa Brigade paints an idyllic picture of life for women and says "there is no greater responsibility for a woman than being a wife to her husband."

Moderate Syrian rebels took up arms to topple President Bashar Assad. But the U.S. is planning to train them to fight against a different foe, the self-declared Islamic State, instead.

A corner of the video game industry is covering the news through immersive experiences. One game transports players into the middle of the Syrian civil war.

For the first time, the extremist group acknowledges its defeat earlier this week in the heavily contested Syrian border town.

The country wants to know if the Jordanian pilot being held by the Sunni militants is still alive. The Islamic State said it would kill the pilot if a convicted terrorist was not released by sunset.

A Japanese hostage held by the violent extremist group ISIS has reportedly been forced to record a message setting a Thursday deadline for Jordan to release an Iraqi prisoner.

When a general in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard and several ranking members of Hezbollah were killed Sunday, they were within 10 miles of Israel's northeastern border.

Russia is proposing peace talks in Moscow, and the U.S. seems to be backing the idea, but some opposition groups resist cooperating with a country that's been backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

A little-known program allows some immigrants to stay in the U.S. when a disaster strikes their home country. Designed to be short-term, Temporary Protected Status can sometimes last for many years.