* Syrian air base destroyed in missile attack from sea A Syrian air defense base near the port city of Latakia was completely destroyed on Thursday morning in a missile attack from the sea.
* Syria chemical weapons equipment destroyed, says OPCW Syria's declared equipment for producing, mixing and filling chemical weapons has been destroyed, the international watchdog says.
* Hezbollah Preparing for 'Battle for Damascus' Hezbollah is enlisting 15,000 fighters for what it is calling the "battle for Damascus."
* Putin tops Forbes most powerful people list Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named the world's most powerful person by Forbes magazine.
* Moscow Conducts Large-Scale Nuclear Attack Drill Russian strategic forces carried out a large-scale surprise military drill on Wednesday, launching four nuclear missiles.
* 'Palestinian State' Would Leave Israel 'Indefensible' As negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority continue amid international calls for a 23rd Arab state in the Judea and Samaria (West Bank) region - which would leave Israel with the territory it held prior to the 1967 Six-Day War - familiar calls from within Israel are being heard.
* Syrian Regime Using North Korean Pilots The Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad has recruited at least 15 North Korean pilots to man its attack helicopters.
* Egypt: Police Storm University to Confront Protesters Egyptian police entered the Al-Azhar University in Cairo on Wednesday to confront Islamist protesters.
* Assad: Western Backing of Rebels Must Stop Foreign support for Syrian rebels must stop for peace to take place in the war-battered country.
* Earth-sized 'lava world' discovered A doomed "lava world" with a similar mass and density to that of Earth has been discovered orbiting a star 400 light-years away.