More International News In Brief

UN vehicle attacked by snipers

DAMASCUS, (AP):Snipers opened fire yesterday and struck one of the vehicles in a United Nations (UN) convoy carrying a team investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons outside of Damascus, a UN spokesman said. The Syrian government accused rebel forces of firing at the team, while the opposition said a pro-government militia was behind the attack. They said the team members spent three hours at a makeshift hospital, meeting with doctors and taking samples from victims before they headed back to Damascus. The United States has said that there is little doubt President Bashar Assad's regime was responsible for the August 21 attack in the capital's suburbs. Activists say the action killed hundreds; the group Doctors Without Borders put the death toll at 355 people. Assad has denied launching a chemical attack.

US senator seeks air strike against Syria

WASHINGTON (AP):A top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wants a 'surgical' US air strike against Syria in response to President Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons. Senator Bob Corker tells NBC yesterday that "I do think action is going to occur" militarily in response to the purported chemical weapons use last week in a Damascus suburb. Corker says the Obama administration "feels like there's no question chemicals were used" and says it is seeking to rally its NATO allies to support a military response.