57 killed in US raid against Al-Qaeda

ADEN • A United States raid in Yemen killed 41 suspected Al-Qaeda militants and 16 civilians yesterday, an official said, in what would be the US' first military action in Yemen under President Donald Trump.

Eight women and eight children were among those killed in the dawn raid in Yakla district, in the central province of Baida, said the provincial official, who did not want to be named, and tribal sources.

Sources in the region said the raid targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda. The provincial official said Apache helicopters also struck a school, a mosque and a medical facility which were all used by Al-Qaeda militants.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Noriega released from jail to undergo surgery

PANAMA CITY • Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega has been released from prison for three months to have surgery to remove a brain tumour, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Noriega, who ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989, left prison under heavy police guard to undergo treatment ahead of the surgery planned for Feb 15. He was taken to the apartment of one of his daughters in an upmarket part of Panama City.

His defence lawyer, Mr Ezra Angel, said the judicial authorities had granted the 82-year-old a period of home arrest until April 28 to go through with the operation.

REUTERS