Some 500 Buddhist monks and scholars from across South Asia and the West have gathered in the tiny village of Lumbini, a long day's bus ride from Kathmandu on the Indian border.

BBC: By Religious Affairs Correspondent Jane Little

One of the biggest battles in the area was on Thursday when the Syrian army captured Tal al-Nabi Mindo, a village near the Lebanese border, after a day of heavy fighting.

NPR: Hezbollah-Backed Lebanese Shiites Fight In Syria

And so, on his way up to the Chinese border, he decided to make a short detour and visit the village.

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Corporal Meyer maintained security at a patrol rally point, while other members of his team moved on foot with two platoons of Afghan National Army and border police into the village of Ganjgal for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House