The last remaining areas of the embattled Syrian town of Qusair fell to government forces and fighters from the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah over the weekend. The main concern now is what's happening to the civilians.
The Guardian has identified its source for a series of reports it published in recent days on secret U.S. surveillance activity. The paper says the source is Edward Snowden, a former technical assistant for the CIA who now works for a private-sector defense and technology consulting firm.
Colum McCann's novel TransAtlantic weaves together disparate historical figures and times. Reviewer Rosecrans Baldwin says that while some sections are uneven, the book rolls over you like a wave, crashing and building upon itself.