The Lebanese army has gone on alert along the border with Syria and inside Lebanese territories after Russian jets intensified their airstrikes in central Syria and Hizbullah got more involved in the country's war.

A security source told As Safir daily published on Tuesday that terrorist groups taking refuge in the border area are making suspicious moves.

A former HSBC employee has been put on trial in absentia in Switzerland for leaking bank data, which led to a worldwide wave of tax evasion probes against prominent clients.

Herve Falciani refused to travel from his native France to appear before the Swiss Federal Tribunal in Bellinzona on Monday, prompting the court to suspend proceedings until Nov. 9.

The Frankfurt Book Fair says the Iranian government has canceled plans for a national stand at this year's event to protest a planned appearance by British author Salman Rushdie.

Rushdie is to appear at a news conference Tuesday ahead of the annual fair's opening. The author spent years in hiding with heavy security after his novel "The Satanic Verses" drew a death edict from Iran's religious authorities.

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2 Sunday to win his sixth China Open title and improve his record at the tournament to a sterling 29-0.

Djokovic had seven aces to none for his Spanish rival, and saved both break points he faced in the match, which was the 45th between the two players.

Ireland avoided a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against the defending champion All Blacks by beating France 24-9 to secure first place in Pool D on Sunday — but an impressive victory came at a cost for the Six Nations champions.

Star flyhalf Jonny Sexton, captain Paul O'Connell and flanker Peter O'Mahony all went off injured — the latter two on motorized stretchers — to potentially leave the Irish without three of their most important players for a last-eight game against Argentina next Sunday.

France striker Olivier Giroud received a welcome confidence boost as he scored twice Sunday in a 2-1 win over Denmark in a friendly match.

The 29-year-old Arsenal forward found the net with France for the first time since last March, bagging two goals in the space of two minutes.

Germany and Poland clinched their places at next year's European Championship with 2-1 home victories over Georgia and Ireland in their final qualifying games on Sunday.

Max Kruse scored three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Germany to finish top in Group D, one point above Poland, which had Robert Lewandowski to thank for the winner against Ireland with his 13th goal in qualifying. It tied the mark set by David Healy of Northern Ireland in Euro 2008 qualifying.

Queen Latifah, Smokey Robinson and Trombone Shorty are among the performing artists who will help celebrate the arts at the White House on Wednesday.

They will be joined by Usher, James Taylor, Audra McDonald and others for a PBS special hosted by President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. The event will mark the 50th anniversary of legislation that created the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Carol Burnett is scheduled to perform special readings.

A typhoon and a government budget cut did not stop cinema lovers from flocking to Asia's most influential film festival.

The annual Busan International Film Festival drew to a close on Saturday with a record number of visitors and many new Asian movies for the world to enjoy.

A Moldovan government official says work on a pipeline that will transport natural gas from Romania to the Moldovan capital will begin next year.

The pipeline, which is expected to become operational in May 2018, will help lessen the former Soviet republic's dependency on Russia. It is an extension of one running from the northern Romanian city of Iasi to Ungheni, a Moldovan town near the Romanian border.