President Barack Obama used a nationally televised address Tuesday night to make his case for military action against Syria, even as he recognized that diplomatic steps could render attacks unnecessary. He told war-weary Americans that the use of chemical weapons poses a threat to U.S. security and that America, with modest effort, "can stop children from being gassed to death."

Citing the new diplomatic efforts, Obama said he had asked congressional leaders to postpone a vote on legislation he has been seeking to authorize the use of military force against Syria — a vote he was in danger of losing. But he also said he has ordered the U.S. military to remain prepared to carry out attacks if needed.

Germany's relocation program for Syrian refugees is getting under way with 107 people gaining temporary new homes.

U.N. refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said Tuesday the refugees — including survivors of torture and others with special needs mainly those with untreated medical conditions — are due to leave Lebanon on Wednesday headed for Hannover under the temporary program announced by Germany in March for up to 5,000 Syrian refugees.

A new study of the Monarch butterflies' winter nesting grounds in central Mexico says small-scale logging is worse than previously thought and may be contributing to threats facing the Monarch's singular migration pattern.

The reserve's 33,482-acre (13,550-hectare) core zone lost 41 acres (16.6 hectares) of pine and fir trees so far in 2013, about half of that because of illegal logging, said the study by Omar Vidal, head of Mexico's chapter of the World Wildlife Fund, the WWF, and other authors. The rest of the loss was due to drought or disease-control removal of trees.

Two scientists who illuminated how brain cells communicate, three researchers who developed implants that let deaf people hear and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates have won prestigious Lasker Awards for medical research and contributions to public health.

The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation announced the recipients of the $250,000 prizes on Monday. The awards will be presented Sept. 20 in New York City.

France said Tuesday it would submit a resolution to the U.N. Security Council calling on Syria to put its chemical weapons beyond use or face military action.

The resolution, to be presented in New York later in the day, will also demand that the individuals responsible for an August 21 chemical attack on Damascus suburbs be put on trial at the International Criminal Court, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told a press conference.

Richard Van As, a South African carpenter, lost four fingers from his right hand to a circular saw two years ago.

He was unable to afford the tens of thousands of dollars to get a myoelectric hand, which detects a muscle's electric impulses to activate an artificial limb.

Senior Israeli politicians have voiced skepticism about Russia's proposal for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons to international control.

Avigdor Lieberman, who chairs the parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, told Israel Radio on Tuesday that Syria could use the proposal to "buy time."

Thomas Bach is the man to beat as the IOC elects a leader to take the Olympic body into the next decade.

After awarding the 2020 Olympics to Tokyo and bringing wrestling back into the games, the International Olympic Committee votes for a new president on Tuesday.

Warren Barguil of France won the mountainous 16th stage of the Spanish Vuelta by perfectly timing his final sprint up the steep Aramon Formigal peak on Monday, while Vincenzo Nibali fended off his rivals to retain the overall lead.

The 21-year-old Argos-Shimano rider looked tired in the final stretch up the category 1 ascent, but finished in 3 hours, 43 minutes, 31 seconds, just ahead of Rigoberto Uran of Colombia, who finished with the same time.

England will look to overcome a striker shortage and shrug off bleak pronouncements about the state of its national game by beating Ukraine on Tuesday to take a giant stride toward the 2014 World Cup.

Automatic qualification for finishing first in Group H is up for grabs, with England leading on goal difference over Montenegro and one point clear of third-place Ukraine with three matches left.