UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition said on Wednesday there would be "no tolerance" for sectarian torture and other abuses resulting from the planned offensive to recapture the group's de-facto Iraqi capital of Mosul.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military is testing to see if a chemical agent may have been used in a rocket attack in Iraq by Islamic State that came within hundreds of yards (meters) of U.S. forces but injured no one, a U.S. military official said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the United States to protect aid convoys in Syria, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said after meeting him in Moscow.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Playoff baseball comes to Brooklyn this week as the last spot in next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) field of 16 nations will be decided in a tournament between Brazil, Israel, Britain and Pakistan.

SANAA (Reuters) - At least 19 civilians were killed on Wednesday when a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a house in western Yemen, according to residents, medics and a local official.

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas gave notice on Wednesday that it was withdrawing from participating in the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement's program, citing security concerns after failing in federal court to halt the inflow of Syrian refugees into the state.

Sept 21 (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Wednesday a U.S. demand that Syria and Russia ground all aircraft in northern Syria after the bombing of a humanitarian convoy threatened a precarious ceasefire.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose as much as 3 percent on Wednesday after a third surprise weekly drop in U.S. crude stockpiles boosted the demand outlook in the world's largest oil consumer.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. authorities investigated on Wednesday whether anyone helped an Afghan-born American citizen charged with carrying out bombings in New York and New Jersey, while the city's top federal public defender asked for access to the suspect.