Terrorism

Carmelo Ramírez Morales never imagined a life without obstacles when he enrolled in the Ayotzinapa college for rural teachers in Mexico's beleaguered southern state of Guerrero. But he did not expect that two years later he would be seeking political asylum in the United States after surviving a police attack that killed three fellow students and disappeared another 43.

Analysis of ISIS activities over the past two months shows that as they are weakened by defeats on the battlefield, jihadists have begun to change their recruitment tactics, particularly with regard to efforts targeted at Central Asia.

Syrian forces aided by U.S. airstrikes and advisers have begun their assault to take back Raqqa from the Islamic State group, the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday.

Tajikistan - the poorest ex-Soviet nation with a long and porous border with Afghanistan - announced on Monday the results of a constitutional referendum that makes the heavy-handed rule of President Emomali Rakhmon virtually unlimited, paves the way for his son's presidency, and outlaws "faith-based" parties.