Hizbullah fighters shelled Friday positions of the jihadist Islamic State group in an area near the Syrian border, killing five militants, Hizbullah's al-Manar TV said.

The shelling occurred on the outskirts of the Lebanese border town of Ras Baalbek, where IS fighters and Syria's al-Qaida affiliate, known as al-Nusra Front, are active.

For the Syrian refugee family, one reprieve from crushing boredom in the asylum center is short walks to a lake. But in a town teeming with neo-Nazis, the excursions can bring more distress than relief: A man recently stormed out of a coffee shop and screamed at two women of the Habashieh family to take off their hijabs "because we're in Europe!" Another time, people inside a car yelled: "Auslaender raus!!" — Foreigners out!!

Fear and frustration, however, have been tempered by kindness. A volunteer from nearby Dresden has befriended the Habashiehs, who fled Syria's civil war and are now living in a temporary facility in the eastern town of Heidenau after arriving in Germany last month, following a perilous journey from Damascus.

Spanish star Raul is retiring from football in November after his NASL season with the New York Cosmos.

The 38-year-old striker announced his decision Thursday, saying he wants focus on winning a championship in the second-tier league.

A rippled white whopper weighing in at 1,969 pounds took the title Monday for plumpest pumpkin at an annual San Francisco Bay Area contest.

Growers gathered with their gargantuan offerings to try to break the world record of 2,323 pounds, which was set by a Swiss grower during a competition in Germany last year.

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.