Inspectors head to site of suspected gas attack in Syria

A team of inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog was on its way to Syria on Thursday to begin an investigation into a suspected chemical weapons attack near the capital that has brought the war-torn country to the brink of a wider conflict, amid Western threats of retaliation and Russian warnings of the potential for "a dangerous escalation."

Speaking at the United Nations on Thursday, Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the top priority had to be to avert a wider war, and he didn't rule out the possibility of a US-Russia conflict. Speaking to reporters after a closed emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Nebenzia said Russia was very concerned with "the dangerous escalation" of the situation and "aggressive policies" and preparations that some governments were making—a clear reference to the Trump administration and its allies.

The Security Council scheduled another emergency meeting for Friday morning at Russia's request.