3 Indians saved from execution

Riyadh: Three Indians on death row in Saudi Arabia for the murder of their compatriot have been saved from being executed after an Indian businessman paid nearly $133,200 in blood money on their behalf. The three convicts, Fasal Iritti, 35, Mustafa Kunnath, 33, and M Shakeer, 36, all natives of Kerala, were released from Al-Hair prison in Riyadh where they had been awaiting execution for the murder of Ashraf, a native of Mangalore in Karnataka. PTI

Cairo
Egypt to reopen Gaza crossing
Egypt is to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Sunday for the second time in two months to allow those stranded in Egypt to enter the Palestinian territory, officials said. The Rafah crossing is the only access point to the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel. It was shut by Egypt in late October following a deadly bombing in the Sinai Peninsula, reopening briefly at the end of November to allow Palestinians stuck in Egypt to return home. AFP

Karachi
Arrest warrants against TTP chief
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan Saturday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against eight persons, including Pakistan Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah, for the brazen militant assault on Karachi airport in June. The court issued the warrants after police filed a chargesheet in the court, The Express Tribune reported. PTI

London
Europe’s oldest man is a Sikh   
Europe's oldest man, a Punjab-born Sikh ex-labourer, is all set to celebrate Christmas. Nazar Singh, who is 110 years old, heard about the festival only once he moved to England in 1965. This year he will spend the day with family, but won’t be seeing all his nine children, 34 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren. PTI

South Africa’s Rolene Strauss, the newly crowned Miss World, gives a speech upon her arrival in Johannesburg on Saturday. Strauss is the third South African Miss World, the country having held the title in 1958 and 1974. AFP