Nation, world briefs 12/16/15

Saudis create Islamic bloc to fight terror

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Projecting its ambition for regional leadership, Saudi Arabia said Tuesday it has lined up most of the Arab world, NATO member Turkey and several African and Asian countries behind a vaguely defined "Islamic military alliance" against terrorists. The move allows the kingdom, which follows a conservative interpretation of Islam, to cast itself as a leader in the fight against extremism. But absent from the alliance are the Shiite-led countries of Iran and Iraq, as well as Syria, whose government is backed by Tehran. And that omission raises questions about whether the 34-member bloc is intended primarily to present a unified front against extremists -- or also to serve as a Sunni deterrent to Iran, Saudi Arabia's main regional rival.

Russian craft docks at space station

MOSCOW -- A Russian spacecraft carrying three astronauts from the United States, Britain and Russia docked successfully at the International Space Station. NASA's live broadcast from the Russian Mission Control showed the Soyuz spacecraft mooring smoothly at 8:33 p.m. Moscow time at the space outpost Tuesday about 6*½ hours after lifting off from Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan. Aboard are Russian Yuri Malenchenko, Timothy Kopra of NASA and Briton Timothy Peake, representing the European Space Agency. The trio will spend six months aboard the space outpost.

Williams back on air for NBC News

LOS ANGELES -- A threat of violence against Los Angeles schools brought Brian Williams back on-air for NBC News. In his first appearance since losing his anchor job, Williams handled a NBC News special report Tuesday on the closure of L.A. public schools. Lester Holt, who replaced Williams as "NBC Nightly News" anchor, was out sick. NBC News said Williams reported on the schools story one day after returning from back surgery to repair a herniated disc. He anchored from New York, joined by Pete Williams in Washington and Joe Fryer in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, Williams was suspended for six months after acknowledging he misled viewers about his role in news stories. He returned as an anchor in September, reassigned to breaking news on MSNBC.

-- From wire reports