Paris attacks seem likely to compel President Obama to consider military escalation against IS in Iraq and Syria. But that probably will not mean dramatic moves like launching US or international ground offensive or accelerating aerial bombing in hopes of eliminating the global threat of violent extremism.

White House hopeful Hillary Clinton calls for global unity to crush the Islamic State group, as the carnage in Paris took center stage at Saturday's Democratic presidential debate.

The Bulgarian authorities are accused of brutality towards migrants in a new report sponsored by the British charity Oxfam.

We are deeply troubled by the allegations that women from Bangladesh are being trafficked to war-ridden Syria as sex slaves and domestic workers.

Germany is to restrict the number of entry points for migrants arriving via Austria, in a bid to control the flow as thousands cross into Bavaria daily.

The US is sending Special Forces to Syria to assist anti-government rebels in fighting the so-called Islamic State (IS), officials say.

The migrants taking refuge in Europe have extraordinary stories to tell. One of the most fascinating is the tale of 105 year old Bibihal Uzbeki, who traveled 20 days to reach Croatia from Afghanistan — mostly on foot.

The US is intensifying diplomatic efforts to end the "hell" of Syria's civil war even as it increases support for moderate rebels, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will attend multilateral talks on finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria in Vienna this week, a government spokeswoman has said.

The United States announces that Iran may take part in talks to end the civil war in Syria and warned of increased military action against the Islamic State.

Islamic State militants have killed three captives in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra by tying them to columns and blowing them up, activists say.

Two Turkish fishermen rescued and resuscitated a Syrian toddler they luckily found floating unconscious in the Aegean Sea.

The Islamic State jihadist group executes three people in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra by binding them to three historic columns and blowing them up, a monitoring group said.

Another 100,000 spaces in refugee welcome centers will be created under a deal agreed by European leaders at an emergency summit in Brussels.

Tony Blair apologises for mistakes made over the Iraq War - and said there were "elements of truth" to claims the war caused the rise of Islamic State.

Syria's ally Russia says there should be talks between the Syrian government and the "full spectrum" of opposition.

The White House has strongly condemned a visit to Moscow by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has visited Moscow on his first overseas trip since the civil war broke out in his country in 2011.

At least 45 people have been killed in Russian air strikes on a rebel-held area of north-western Syria, a monitoring group says.

The crush and stampede that struck the hajj last month in Saudi Arabia killed at least 2,177 pilgrims, a new Associated Press tally showed on Monday.