1. Syria’s Foreign Minister laid out a hard line Wednesday, saying Bashar Assad will remain president at least until elections in 2014, and might seek another term.

 

　　2. Until the local fertilizer company in west, Texas, blew up last month and demolished scores of homes, many in that town didn’t know what chemicals were stored there.

 

　　3. President Barack Obama is prepared to nominate James Comey, a former Bush’s Administration official with bipartisan credentials, as the next FBI director.

 

　　4. The army staff sergeant charged with slaughtering 16 villagers in Afghanistan will plead guilty to avoid the death penalty and a deal that requires him to recount the horrific attack for the first time.