Syrian rebels seize strategic hospital
Beirut: Syrian rebels seized control a strategic hospital near Aleppo, giving a boost to beleaguered anti-government forces in the northern city after days of relentless airstrikes on opposition-held neighborhoods there, activists said on Saturday.
Iraq general among 15 killed in raid
Ramadi (Iraq): Five senior Iraqi officers, including a divisional commander, and 10 soldiers were killed in a raid on an Al-Qaeda hideout in the west of the country, military officers said.
Pak near to completing 4th nuke reactor
Washington: Pakistan has nearly completed external construction of a fourth reactor building at the Khushab nuclear complex that produces plutonium for the country’s nuclear weapons programme, according to a US think tank.
Turkish ministers’ sons charged in graft probe
Istanbul: The sons of the Turkish Interior and Economy Ministers were charged and placed in custody on Saturday in connection with a graft probe that has tarnished Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local media reported.
NATO opens post-2014 talks with Afghanistan
Kabul: NATO on Saturday opened negotiations with Afghanistan over a proposed military force to stay in the country after next year, but said no deal would be signed until after a separate agreement with the US was completed. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the US have been in a long and bitter stand-off over the BSA, which would see several thousand US troops deployed in Afghanistan
after 2014.
Imran opposes military action in NW Pakistan
Islamabad: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Saturday warned against any military operation in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region, saying it would exacerbate the problem of terrorism and militancy.
Spain to have tough abortion law
Madrid: The Spanish Government has approved a new abortion law which will make it much more difficult for women to be able get an abortion in the country.
China sacks political advisor for graft
Beijing: China’s ruling Communist Party sacked a senior political advisor for “serious disciplinary violations” as part of an ongoing high-profile crackdown on corruption.