The EU slapped sanctions on the mother, sister and influential wife of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, increasing pressure on his country to halt its bloody crackdown against a year-long uprising.

As the wife of a dictator held responsible for the slaughter of his people, Asma al Assad finds herself in the shadows, writes Christopher Dickey

THE European Union imposed sanctions yesterday on Syrian President Bashar Assad because of his government’s continuing crackdown on anti-government protesters in which more than 900 people have reportedly been killed.

THE US military has launched an investigation into claims that American forces shot dead 15 members of two families, including a three year-old-girl, shortly after a roadside bomb killed a US marine in a western Iraqi town.

The US military has launched an investigation into claims that American forces shot dead 15 members of two families, including a three year-old-girl, shortly after a roadside bomb killed a US Marine in a western Iraqi town.

Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim arrived in the US more than three years ago as babies joined at the tops of their heads. Tomorrow, the four-year-olds will return home to Egypt as two boys living independent lives.

Israeli helicopters pounded a refugee camp with missiles and machine gun fire today, killing at least 18 Palestinians as troops searched houses in a major military offensive that drew worldwide condemnation.

A Palestinian brother and sister, aged 13 and 16, were killed by Israeli fire in a Gaza refugee camp today as they took down the washing from a rooftop clothesline, their family said.

Israeli helicopters pounded a refugee camp with missiles and machine gun fire today, killing at least 14 Palestinians as troops searched houses in the largest offensive in Gaza in years.

Israeli troops seized suspected Palestinian weapons-makers in the deepest incursion into Gaza City in two years today and surrounded the West Bank hideout of the alleged mastermind of a shooting attack on a kibbutz.