US, Afghan soldiers killed in shootout in Afghanistan
Reuters, Kabul
U.S. and Afghan forces came under attack in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said in Kabul as they launched investigations into what the New York Times described as a deadly shootout between Afghan and American soldiers during a joint exercise.
The Times, quoting two Afghan officials, reported that five or six American soldiers and six Afghan soldiers were killed. The newspaper quoted a U.S. military official saying there were at least six American casualties and confirmed that there were fatalities without saying how many.
Virginia Democrats advance assault weapon ban
AP, Richmond
Democratic lawmakers in Virginia are advancing legislation to ban the sale of assault weapons and the possession of high-capacity magazines despite fierce opposition from gun owners.
A state House committee on Friday advanced legislation backed by Gov. Ralph Northam to ban the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, including popular AR-15 style rifles, and silencers and prohibit the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 rounds.
Iran starts countdown for satellite launch ‘within hours’
AFP, Tehran
Iran started counting down Sunday to the launch of a new scientific observation satellite scheduled within hours, the country’s telecommunications minister said.
The United States has raised concerns in the past about Iran’s satellite programme, describing the launch of a carrier rocket in January 2019 as a “provocation”.
“Beginning countdown to launch #Zafar_Satellite in the next few hours… In the Name of God,” Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi wrote on Twitter.
On February 1, the head of Iran’s space agency said the 113-kilogramme Zafar – Victory in Farsi – would be launched into orbit 530 kilometres (329 miles) above Earth by a Simorgh rocket.
