Obama seeks $500 million from Congress to help moderate Syrian rebels

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, under pressure from some lawmakers to provide more help to Syria's opposition, asked the U.S. Congress on Thursday to approve $500 million (£293.6 million) to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

It was the administration's most tangible move yet to help beleaguered Assad opponents who have been frustrated at a lack of U.S. assistance after Obama stepped back from launching air strikes on Syria nearly a year ago.