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.

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia has arrested 16 people suspected of trafficking refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, as part of increased efforts to stem the flow of illegal migrants trying to reach Western Europe, the interior ministry 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.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt is rebuilding its foreign reserves with the help of loans and aid, easing a shortage of dollars and preparing the way for a loosening of its fixed exchange rate.

MOSCOW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Data showing how many Russian citizens in Syria took part in a weekend election for a new Russian parliament suggests the Kremlin may have around 4,000 military personnel based there backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

BEIRUT, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Overnight bombardment of rebel-held eastern districts of Aleppo city killed 45 people, director of al-Quds hospital Dr. Hamza al-Khatib told Reuters on Thursday.

COPENHAGEN, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk's new Transport and Logistics division will aim to expand its market share every year through organic growth and acquisitions, CEO Soren Skou told a news conference on Thursday.

Reuters will issue this diary daily at around 1030 GMT

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A volunteer group in Syria that has rescued thousands of people from buildings bombed in the civil war were among the winners of the Right Livelihood Award, the prize-giving foundation said on Thursday.