US, Russia announce Syria ceasefire set for Saturday

Washington and Moscow announced on Monday that a cessation of hostilities in war-torn Syria will go into effect on February 27, as fierce clashes raged in the country's north. The announcement comes just one day after the deadliest jihadist attack in the nearly five-year war, with 134 people -- mostly civilians -- killed in a series of blasts near Damascus. In a joint statement, Russia and the United States said the cessation of hostilities would not apply to the Islamic State group (IS) or Al-Q