Islamist militants have seized control of the town of Douentza in Mali. The move extends the already sizable area controlled by the rebels in the north of the country. Steve Jackson reports.
Residents say a convoy of jeeps carrying bearded militants entered Douentza on Saturday morning. After a brief stand-off, witnesses say the militants disarmed a local self-defense militia and took over a hotel and checkpoints around the town. Douentza is strategically important to the militants as it brings them closer to government-held areas in central Mali. The country was until this year one of the most stable in West Africa, but in June the rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs, a military coup and a militant takeover of the north.
A prominent Egyptian television presenter has denied urging the murder of President Mohammed Morsi at the opening of his trial. Tawfiq Okasha said he merely criticized Mr Morsi who's from the Muslim Brotherhood. Mr Okasha has expressed fierce opposition to the Brotherhood. He denounced his trial as politically motivated accusing the Brotherhood of trying to silence dissent. His case has raised concern that the Islamist movement is trying to restrict media freedom.
The Syrian government says forces loyal to President Assad have repelled a large gale of attack by rebels on an airforce college near Aleppo. The Rasm al-Abboud air base is one of a number to have come under attack in recent days.
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