Hizbullah stated on Friday that the number of fighters who were killed in Syria's al-Qalamoun front were only three, denying media reports claiming otherwise.

“Some Lebanese and Arab media reports continue to broadcast false reports on the number of Hizbullah fighters killed in the last few days in al-Qalamoun front claiming that the number has totaled 40,” the statement said.

Google's first campus for startups and entrepreneurs in Asia opened on Friday in a glitzy neighborhood of South Korea's capital Seoul.

Google cited South Korea's flourishing startup scene and pervasive smartphone use as the reasons for picking Seoul after opening similar sites in London and Tel Aviv.

A fire caused by a short circuit in a building housing Syrian refugees in southern Lebanon has injured three girls.

The fire erupted on the second floor of the four-story building in the Ouzai compound in the port city of Sidon on Thursday. The compound is home to more than 500 Syrian refugees.

There is such a thing as being too clever for your own good.

Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly smart, but his reluctance to water down his tactical thinking is one reason why his Bayern Munich team won't win the Champions League this year. That and because he looks out of his depth at the pinnacle in Europe without the unstoppable, match-winning force that is Lionel Messi.

A Chinese province where authorities have removed hundreds of rooftop crosses from Protestant and Catholic churches has proposed a ban on any further placement of the religious symbol atop sanctuaries.

The draft, if approved, would give authorities in the eastern province of Zhejiang solid legal grounds to remove rooftop crosses.

Seattle's mayor and environmentalists have vowed to block Royal Dutch Shell PLC from parking two Arctic offshore drilling rigs on Seattle's waterfront, an effort to thwart the new frontier in oil exploration and spark a national debate about fossil fuels and climate change.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

Spain's football federation is suspending all league and cup matches from May 16 in protest at a proposed law on the sale of television rights and the division of the income earned.

The federation said the decision had been taken by its board of directors on Wednesday.

Two-time Olympic champion Tina Maze of Slovenia has announced a one-year break from ski racing before deciding about continuing her career.

The 32-year-old Maze said on her website, "I feel that my body and my mind need a longer rest than usual. I will allow myself a one year break before taking any further decision."

Cleveland's LeBron James rediscovered his headband and his peak form to lead the Cavaliers to a 106-91 victory over Chicago on Wednesday to square their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series at 1-1.

All four semifinal series across the two conferences stand at 1-1, after Houston beat the Los Angeles Clippers to square that match.

Top-seeded Roger Federer made an early exit from the Madrid Open on Wednesday after a narrow, second-round loss to Nick Kyrgios.

The 20-year-old Australian ended Federer's hopes of a fourth title at the Spanish tournament by rallying for a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (12) victory.