DUBAI (Reuters) - A senior leader of Yemen's al Qaeda branch was killed on Thursday in a raid by a U.S. drone strike in central Yemen, an official of the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi said.

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to a two-month low, pointing to labor market strength that could pave the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by December.

(Reuters) - UnitedHealth Group , the largest U.S. health insurer, will stop covering several brand-name drugs as of next year, reinforcing a trend of payers steering prescriptions to lower-priced options.

LONDON (Reuters) - A new drug to treat a rare inherited bone disorder that was developed by Alexion Pharmaceuticals and could cost up to 1.5 million pounds ($2 million) a year per patient has been cleared for limited use by Britain's health cost watchdog.

BEIRUT, Sept 22 (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with AP News broadcast on Thursday that Syria's war will "drag on" as long as it is part of a global conflict funded and interfered in by other countries.

(Reuters) - Spanish swimmer Teresa Perales is determined to eclipse Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, by surpassing the American great's haul of 28 medals as she sets her sight on competing in the Tokyo Paralympics at the age of 44.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States, responding to a surge in Haitian immigrants, will end special protections for them dating back to a 2010 earthquake that devastated that nation, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Thursday.

GENEVA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The United Nations hopes countries backing the Syria peace process will agree on Thursday to salvage the ceasefire, enabling a return to peace talks within weeks, U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. class-action lawsuit over corruption at Brazil's Petrobras will not overshadow the state oil company's $74 billion, five-year plan to slash its crippling debt and refocus on its core business, chief executive officer Pedro Parente said on Wednesday.