Abortion rates ‘highest in London’
AP, London
Abortion rates among women in London were highest than the rest of England, new figures have revealed. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed wide regional variations. Knowsley in Merseyside had the highest rate outside London, BBC reported on Thursday. Barking and Dagenham had the highest overall abortion rate, at 29 for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 44.
US House’s conditional military aid for Pakistan
Reuters, Washington
The United States (US) House of Representatives on Thursday voted 277 to 147 in favour of a defence policy bill seeking to increase restrictions on military aid for Pakistan unless certain conditions are met.
The House, expressing frustration over what they term Islamabad’s failure to crack down on the Haqqani network, passed the $602 billion National Defense Authorization Act 2017, or NDAA late on Wednesday.
14 Al-Qaida militants killed in Pakistan
AP, Islamabad
Pakistani authorities say police acting on intelligence killed 14 al-Qaida members and other militants in two separate shootouts in central Pakistan.
A statement issued by the Counter Terrorism Department said Friday that eight al-Qaida operatives and other militants were killed near the city of Multan, in Punjab province, on Wednesday.
US widens sanctions on IS, al-Qaida
AP, Washington
The United States expanded sanctions Thursday against affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operating across the Middle East and North Africa, reflecting the spreading threat of extremism far beyond the groups’ traditional strongholds in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
