Pope Francis urged forces to stop bombing civilians in the Syrian city of Aleppo, warning them on Wednesday they would face God's judgment. Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, Francis called Aleppo "this already martyred city, where everybody is dying - children, old people, sick people, young people." He did not name the bombers, but monitors say Syria's government and its Russian backers have stepped up air attacks on rebel-held parts of the northern city since the end of a ceasefire last week. "I renew to all an appeal to commit themselves with all their strength to protect civilians," Francis told the crowd during his weekly address.

By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Shimon Peres, who died on Wednesday at the age of 93, never realized his vision of a new Middle East built upon a 1993 interim peace deal he helped shape with the Palestinians. Peres was hospitalized following a stroke two weeks ago and his condition had improved before a sudden deterioration on Tuesday, doctors said. "Don't forget to be daring and curious and to dream big," Peres urged first-graders at the start of the school year in a posting on his Facebook page earlier this month.