Islamic State extends hold in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria – Fears mounted over the fate of one of the Mideast’s most prominent archaeological sites after Islamic State militants overran the historic Syrian town of Palmyra, seizing control Thursday of its temples, tombs and colonnades within hours.

The takeover also expanded the extremists’ hold, making them the single group controlling the most territory in Syria.

“The Syrian regime appears to be in terminal decline, and the Islamic State group in its timing is capitalizing on recent losses by government forces in the north and south,” said Amr Al-Azm, an antiquities expert and professor at Shawnee State University in Ohio.

Ukraine ends ties with Russian military

KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday voted to suspend military cooperation with Russia in a long-anticipated move signaling a further break in relations between the once-close partners.

The five cooperation agreements scrapped by the Verkhovna Rada include one giving the Russian military transit rights to reach Moldova.

U.S. seeks talks on nuclear-free Mideast

UNITED NATIONS – The United States has sent a top official to Israel in an effort to revive talks on a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons, a central issue of a nuclear treaty review conference that some fear will end Friday without progress on global disarmament.

Establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons in one of the world’s most tense regions is a rare point of agreement between the United States and Russia these days.

Associated Press