At least 28 killed in violence in Syria's capital and Aleppo

Armed Services chief lays out risky strategy for budget hike

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — As a swimming-mad teenager in Syria, Ibrahim Al-Hussein was glued to his TV set for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Twelve years later in Athens, disabled but still loving swimming, the amputee will represent tens of thousands of displaced people in Greece by carrying the Olympic flame in the Greek leg of the Rio de Janeiro torch relay. Al-Hussein says participation in Tuesday's relay, outside an Athens camp that is home to 1,500 refugees and other migrants, makes him feel he has "made it" after competing in sport for two decades. The 27-year-old freestyle swimmer and basketball player reached Greece in 2014 and chose to seek asylum in the financially struggling country. The Rio flame was lit in Ancient Olympia last week and will be handed over to Brazilian officials Wednesday.

Still swimming in exile, Syrian refugee to carry Rio flame