DETROIT (Reuters) - A worker group created as an alternative to the United Auto Workers union at Volkswagen AG's plant in Tennessee has failed to meet minimum membership requirements under the German automaker's labor policy, VW said on Thursday.

BEIRUT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Syria announced a new offensive against rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Thursday while diplomats failed to find a way in New York to revive a U.S. and Russian-brokered ceasefire that collapsed this week.

CARACAS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Foes of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed on Thursday to push for a recall referendum against him this year, defying the country's election authority which said any vote to remove the unpopular socialist leader could not take place until early 2017.

Sept 22 (The Sports Xchange) - The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired veteran left-hander Phil Coke from the New York Yankees on Thursday for cash considerations.

(Reuters) - Rory McIlroy's roller-coaster opening round at the Tour Championship on Thursday was not ideal for stroke play but just about perfect for the match play format of next week's Ryder Cup.

(Reuters) - Top seed Dustin Johnson continued his "good mojo" to earn a tie for the first-round lead with Kevin Chappell and Hideki Matsuyama at the Tour Championship in Atlanta on Thursday.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales gave a fiery speech against corruption at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, a week after a judge barred his son and brother from leaving the country due to a pending fraud investigation.

HANAM, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor <005380.KS> will launch its standalone premium auto brand Genesis in China within two to three years, betting on a luxury lane to profit as competition bites at the lower end of the world's biggest auto market.

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc said on Thursday that at least 500 million of its accounts were hacked in 2014 by what it believed was a state-sponsored actor, a theft that appeared to be the world's biggest known cyber breach by far.