BEIRUT (AP) — Activists say forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad have unleashed their heaviest artillery barrage in a week to dislodge rebels from a strategic western town.

Read more here: Syria regime unleashes artillery barrage on Qusair

(Reuters) – Detroit's Anibal Sanchez was denied a no-hitter but still struck out 12 batters in a pitching gem as the Tigers sent the Minnesota Twins crashing to their 10th straight defeat with a 6-0 victory on Friday. Sanchez was heading towards a second career no-hitter with one out in the ninth inning before Joe Mauer punched a single up the middle to deny the Venezuelan a chance to become the 28th pitcher in Major League history with multiple no-hitters. …

Read more here: Sanchez misses no-hitter as Tigers maul Twins

By Simon Evans MIAMI (Reuters) – The Indiana Pacers threw open the NBA Eastern Conference finals on Friday, upsetting the Miami Heat with a 97-93 victory to level the best-of-seven series at 1-1. LeBron James scored 36 points for Miami but gave up two crucial turnovers down the stretch that cost the Heat, while Roy Hibbert top-scored for the Pacers with 29 points and Paul George added 22 and produced some outstanding defensive work. …

Read more here: Pacers turn up Heat in Miami to level series

By Warren Strobel WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Saddled with Middle East problems ranging from Iran to Syria and beyond, President Barack Obama now faces one that is both old and new: Iraq. Unresolved sectarian tensions, inflamed by the raging civil war in neighboring Syria, have combined to send violence in Iraq to its highest level since Obama withdrew the last U.S. troops in December 2011, U.S. officials and Middle East analysts say. A Sunni Muslim insurgency against the Shi'ite-led Baghdad government has also been reawakened. …

Read more here: In Syria's shadow, Iraq violence presents new test for U.S.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani police say a gas cylinder blast on a school bus has killed at least 17 children in eastern Pakistan.

Read more here: Gas cylinder blast on Pakistan school bus kills 17

A small airplane operating as a volunteer Angel Flight crashed in upstate New York on Friday evening, killing at least two people, authorities said.

Read more here: Official: 2 dead after Angel Flight crashes in NY

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A pair of suspected militant attacks killed nine people in two different areas of northwest Pakistan on Friday, police said.

Read more here: Militants attacks kill 9 in Pakistan

MIAMI (AP) — David West's right hand helped the Indiana Pacers grab home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference finals.

Read more here: Pacers steal Game 2 from Heat, 97-93

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Another injury marred a New York Yankees' victory.

Read more here: Granderson hurt as Yankees beat Rays 9-4

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals didn't have a close shave, and neither did Davey Johnson.

Read more here: No shave for Johnson after Nats top Phillies 5-2