New video appears to show moments before Smith's death

Brazil President lashes out at VP over impeachment bid

BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the Syrian civil war (all times local): 7:30 p.m. The U.N. special envoy for Syria says he and a leading Iranian diplomat agree that steps toward political transition in the war-ravaged Syria are "crucially urgent." Staffan de Mistura met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday as he ended a trip through the region ahead of Wednesday's resumption of Syria peace talks in Geneva. In comments relayed later by his office, de Mistura said it was important to meet with Iranian officials because they have "influence" and have been giving him advice during the talks that resumed in February. Iran is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad. On Sunday, Iranian state TV quoted a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying that Iran believes Assad should remain in power until the end of his term. ___ 12 p.m. Turkey's state-run news agency says Turkish artillery have shelled Islamic State targets across the border in Syria, after rockets fired from Syria struck a Turkish border town. Anadolu Agency says Turkish military fired at IS positions around the town of Azaz, in northern Syria. Two rockets landed in the Turkish town of Kilis on Tuesday, wounding at least eight people. At least four other people were wounded in a similar incident on Monday. ___ 11:30 a.m. Russia says one of its helicopters crashed in Syria, killing the two pilots. The Defense Ministry says the Mi-28N helicopter gunship crashed early Tuesday near Homs after completing its mission. It says there is no evidence that it came under fire. The ministry says the bodies of the pilots have been recovered and taken to the Hemeimeem air base on Syria's coast. Russia has been carrying out airstrikes since Sept. 30 in support of Syrian government forces. The air campaign has allowed Russia to test some of its latest weapons, including the Mi-28 helicopter. ___ 9:30 a.m. A pro-government media outlet says Syrian troops have launched an offensive to retake a strategic hilltop village south of Aleppo from insurgents, including al-Qaida's local affiliate. Al-Manar TV says the attack on Tel al-Ais was launched on Tuesday. Al-Manar is run by Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which is fighting alongside Syrian government forces. The village overlooks a supply line connecting the capital, Damascus, to the northern city of Aleppo, parts of which have been held by insurgents since 2012. A coalition of insurgent factions captured Tel al-Ais earlier this month after heavy fighting despite a U.S. and Russian-brokered cease-fire, which excludes the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist-run monitoring group, says clashes are ongoing around Tel al-Ais and the nearby village of Khan Touman.

The Latest: UN envoy talks need for Syria transition in Iran