Jun 18, 2013 — Twelve years after the war began, Afghanistan's president announced Tuesday that Afghan forces officially assumed control of security for the country. U.S. and NATO troops will remain until the 2014 deadline, but the Afghan military is now expected to fight without NATO support.

Jun 18, 2013 — It marks the first time the whole country has been under Afghan control since the coalition invaded to oust the Taliban in 2001.

Jun 16, 2013 — Iran, Israel, Russia and Saudi Arabia are among the key global stakeholders in the conflict that has taken an estimated 93,000 lives. Here's a look at what some of them stand to gain — or lose.

Jun 5, 2012 — Officials in northern Iraq caused a stir in Baghdad in May when they brought Turkey's oil minister to endorse a pipeline deal that would bring Kurdish-produced oil directly to Turkey and markets beyond. Outraged Baghdad officials said Ankara was playing a dangerous game, insisting on central government approval rights of all Kurdish oil exports. Analysts say Turkey may be enjoying a rare period of better ties with the Kurdish Regional Government than with Baghdad at the moment, but it's running the risk of cutting off lucrative economic opportunities in the rest of Iraq.

Jun 1, 2012 — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has angered many political groups in Iraq that say he's concentrating too much power in his hands. There's talk of a no-confidence motion, but at least for now, there's no clear rival to replace him.

May 8, 2012 — Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri is the man U.S. authorities believe is behind the latest bomb plot from al-Qaida's arm in Yemen. A former chemistry major dropout, Asiri was radicalized in a Saudi prison after he was arrested for trying to get to Iraq to fight the United States. He has been with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula for six years but really made a name for himself among U.S. intelligence officials until 2009, when they discovered his fingerprint on the underwear bomb on Northwest Airlines Flight 253. Dina Temple-Raston talks to Audie Cornish about the bomb-maker.