World

TEHRAN, Iran – An Iranian official has criticized the chief of the U.N. atomic agency for demanding snap inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites, saying such a demand stands in the way of Tehran and world powers reaching a deal on the country’s controversial nuclear program. The so-called P5+1 group — …

BEIRUT – A new video released by the Islamic State group on Sunday shows its fighters cutting off the heads of eight men said to be Shiite Muslims. The video posted on social media said the men were beheaded in the central Syrian province of Hama. The video could not …

BAGHDAD – Suicide car bombs targeting security checkpoints killed 15 people in Iraq on Thursday, officials said. Police said a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police checkpoint in the town of Youssifiyah, just south of the capital Baghdad, killing three police and four civilians, and wounding another …

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenian police have launched a nationwide manhunt for a Russian soldier suspected of shooting dead a family of six. Police said the soldier, Valery Permyakov, who was serving at a Russian military base in Armenia, had deserted from his unit and was suspected of killing the family …

YEREVAN, Armenia – Police in Armenia have clashed with protesters demanding the handover of a Russian soldier suspected of murdering a family to Armenian authorities. A crowd of about 2,000 protesters attempted to break through a police line to get into the Russian consulate building in the city of Gyumri. …

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE – Pope Francis says he wasn’t justifying violence when he said a friend who had cursed his mother could “expect a punch” in return. Rather, he says he was only expressing a very human response to a provocation, and that greater prudence would have avoided such …

BAMAKO, Mali – A Mali army official says at least two soldiers were killed in an ambush in the country’s north. Col. Souleymane Maiga said Monday that three more troops were wounded during the attack Sunday near Douekire, 30 miles (45 kilometers) west of the city of Timbuktu. The troops …

MOSCOW – A Russian court has arrested a mother of seven on treason charges for providing Ukraine with information on Russian troop movements. Moscow’s Lefortovsky court put Svetlana Davydova in custody last week on the charges, which carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The court didn’t provide …

BERLIN – A former leader of German group anti-Islam group PEGIDA says she’s starting a new organization to campaign for more referendums in politics. Kathrin Oertel said Monday that she and several others are founding “Direct Democracy for Europe,” which she said would stand for conservative values and position itself …

ATHENS, Greece – Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Greece’s new prime minister to Moscow in May, as Athens and Berlin publicly traded barbs over European Union policy on Ukraine. Alexis Tsipras expressed his intention to attend May 9 celebrations for the World War II victory over Nazism, his office …