Damascus

(Newser) - Reports of strife within the Palestinian faction Hamas are likely exaggerated, the Economist says. The Islamist party may be splitting under the pressure of sanctions, but reports are hard to judge because “few observers are neutral.” There are “sub-leaderships," though. After seizing Gaza in June, for...

(Newser) - Arab governments aren’t talking too loudly about the reported Israeli bombing of Syrian territory two weeks ago.  They’re waiting to see what the fallout is, Newsweek notes, for the real intended target—Syrian sponsor Iran. The raid appears to have been a signal that Israel will act...

(Newser) - Katie Couric leaves today for a 10-day trip to Iraq and Syria, where she will cover the war and the turbulent Middle East as the Pentagon's September 15 deadline for a report on Iraq looms. Couric will spend six days in Iraq, twice anchoring "CBS Evening News" live from...