The World in Brief

Syrian refugees flee from the Lebanese eastern town of Arsal on their way to cross back into Syria, as they ride in the back of a pickup truck with their belongings at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa, eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. Up to 150 cars packed with Syrian refugees were seen leaving Arsal. A security official in eastern Lebanon said arrangements were made for them to cross back into Syria through the border crossing. It was not immediately clear where in Syria the refugees were going, but many may have been fleeing the violence in Arsal for areas inside their country where there has been less fighting recently. (AP Photo)
Syrian refugees flee from the Lebanese eastern town of Arsal on their way to cross back into Syria, as they ride in the back of a pickup truck with their belongings at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa, eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. Up to 150 cars packed with Syrian refugees were seen leaving Arsal. A security official in eastern Lebanon said arrangements were made for them to cross back into Syria through the border crossing. It was not immediately clear where in Syria the refugees were going, but many may have been fleeing the violence in Arsal for areas inside their country where there has been less fighting recently. (AP Photo)

Lebanese free 7 as Syria militants exit

LABWEH, Lebanon -- Militants from Syria who overran a Lebanese border town mostly withdrew back across the rugged hills separating the two countries as a cease-fire appeared to hold Thursday, allowing Lebanese troops to free seven fellow soldiers and ambulances to evacuate dozens of casualties.

The seizure of Arsal over the weekend marked the first time Islamic extremists from Syria carried out a large-scale incursion into Lebanon. A senior Lebanese security official said the majority of the fighters had withdrawn by Thursday afternoon.

Red Cross official Abdullah Zogheib said the group evacuated 42 wounded people Thursday, most of them women and children. Later, up to 150 cars packed with Syrian refugees were seen leaving Arsal. A security official in eastern Lebanon said arrangements were made for them to cross back into Syria through the Masnaa border crossing.

The fighting in Arsal began Saturday when militants from Syria overran the town, seizing Lebanese army posts, soldiers and policemen, and demanding the release of a rebel commander detained in Lebanon. The militants included fighters from the Islamic State group as well as from the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's official Syrian affiliate.

A field hospital in Arsal said 38 people had been killed in the fighting by Wednesday.

Hagel in India to push for arms deals

NEW DELHI -- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived Thursday in India to press for a number of new weapons agreements, including a pilot plan for the two nations to jointly develop a next-generation anti-tank missile.

The development initiative is part of a broader U.S. effort to improve what has often been a rocky relationship with India, the world's largest democracy and a major player in Asia.

Hagel's visit follows a similar stop in the country last week by Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker aimed at wooing a key ally in Asia, in part as a possible countermeasure to China.

Hagel plans to meet with top Indian leaders and business executives, and explore plans for the co-development of a Javelin missile that is cheaper, lighter and more capable. Hagel said he also wants to talk about doing more joint military exercises with India and get a better understanding of what projects India wants to pursue with the U.S.

3 get prison time in Egypt sex assaults

CAIRO -- An Egyptian court sentenced two men to life and another to 20 years in prison Thursday for sexual assaults on women during public rallies in the city's Tahrir Square, judicial officials said.

The prosecution had charged defendants with kidnapping, larceny, attempted rape, torture and attempted murder. The assaults took place June 3 during public celebrations of former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's victory in presidential elections.

The officials said Thursday's verdict is the latest in a series of prosecutions for sexual violence cases. In July, seven people were sentenced to life in prison over four different incidents of sexual assault. An eighth defendant received two 20-year jail sentences and a ninth received a single 20-year sentence. All sentences can be appealed.

Editor hopeful Iran will free journalist

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The editor of a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates expressed hope Thursday that its correspondent in Iran detained last month on unspecified charges will soon be released.

Yeganeh Salehi was working as a foreign correspondent for the Abu Dhabi-based daily The National when she was detained July 22 alongside her husband, Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. Two photojournalists who have not been identified also were taken into custody.

The National's editor-in-chief Mohammed al-Otaiba said in a front-page article that the paper does not believe Salehi's reports could be construed as anti-Iranian and did not deal with sensitive security matters.

Calling Salehi a "highly valued" correspondent, al-Otaiba said her reports were at times facilitated by the Iranian government and "provided notable insights into the country, helping explain Iran to its neighbors in the Gulf."

The National is an English-language newspaper owned by the government of Abu Dhabi. Salehi has worked regularly for the paper since January.

Salehi is an Iranian citizen who has applied for U.S. permanent residency. Rezaian holds both American and Iranian citizenship. The Washington Post has urged Tehran to release Rezaian and the other detained journalists.

-- COMPILED BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS

A Section on 08/08/2014

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