Fresh clashes have broken out in Syria despite the passing of a UN-backed deadline for a complete withdrawal of government troops and weapons.
Activists reported shelling in Homs and areas of northern Aleppo province, and unrest in the capital, Damascus.
Rights groups said 11 people had been killed on Tuesday.
Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, in Russia for talks, said Damascus had taken steps to adhere to the plan by withdrawing some troops.
He blamed "armed gangs" for the continuing violence. BBC News - Syria clashes blight ceasefire hopes
President Barack Obama defended the National Security Agency's collection of phone and other electronic records in an interview with PBS' Charlie Rose. Obama said, "[W]hat happens is that the FBI ... if, in fact, it wants to start tapping that phone, it's got to go to the FISA court with probable cause and ask for a warrant." When Rose asked him whether the process should be transparent, Obama replied, "It is transparent. That's why we set up the FISA court." Source: http://www.drudge.com/news/169478/obama-nsa-spying-transparent
Ammunition explosions have rocked a military training area in Russia' southwestern Samara region, causing officials to order the evacuation of some 6,000 people.
The exploding shells set off a fire that was reportedly still triggering explosions June 19 at the Chapaevsk military depot.
Three Grad rockets were fired Wednesday, towards Ashkelon, from Gaza Strip. Two landed in open areas near the city and another landed in the nearby Hof Ashkelon region. No injuries or damage was reported.
U.S. military action against Syria would carry the risk of inadvertently hitting a chemical weapons site, President Barack Obama told to PBS television in an interview on Monday.
"Have we mapped all of the chemical weapons facilities inside of Syria to make sure that we don't drop a bomb on a chemical weapons facility that ends up then dispersing chemical weapons and killing civilians, which is exactly what we're trying to prevent?" AFP news agency quoted Obama as saying during the interview.
Obama further expressed skepticism over whether setting a no-fly zone or waging a major military offensive against Damascus would save lives or change balance of power on the battlefield.
Supporters of a bold intervention in Syria failed to understand the complexity of the situation as there is no one simple solution, Obama said. "If you set up a no-fly zone, that you may not be actually solving the problem," he added.
