BAGHDAD – Iraq’s parliament passed a law on Saturday to ease restrictions on mostly Sunni Arab members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath party returning to public life, one of the main political benchmarks set by the United States.

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan – Dozens of Afghan journalists and activists on Saturday sought the release of a journalist detained by security officials for allegedly making blasphemous comments.

KABUL – Dozens of people have been killed by heavy snow and freezing weather in recent days in Afghanistan, an official said on Saturday.