Dion Nissenbaum / MCT

A graffiti-scarred tank turret rests on a hill in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights with views of Syria in the distance

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Israel-Syria peace deal could threaten Iran, Hezbollah

By Dion Nissenbaum | McClatchy Newspapers

Syria and Israel have been at war for 60 years and the peace talks they announced Wednesday face daunting odds. But a breakthrough could bring fundamental change to the Mideast by returning the Golan Heights to Syria, cutting off support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and diminishing Iran's influence. » read more

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Story | Syria, Israel announce search for 'comprehensive peace'
Graphic | Map of Israel, highlights the Golan Heights

Tim Johnson / MCT

Workers leave the site of a collapsed middle school Wednesday in Juyuan, China, where as many as 600 students died.

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Angry parents protest collapse of China's schools

By Tim Johnson | McClatchy Newspapers

Parents seething over the earthquake-triggered collapse of school buildings that killed their children are starting to take action. The incipient protests, if they grow, could prove embarrassing for officials worried that a spotlight may be placed on shoddy construction of schools that led to the deaths of thousands of students in a May 12 earthquake. » read more

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