In the World

ISRAEL

7 NYC fire victims buried in Jerusalem

Seven Jewish siblings who died in a New York house fire were laid to rest in Jerusalem on Monday at an emotional ceremony attended by several thousand mourners.

Friends and relatives of the Sassoon family attended the service, as well as supporters who only learned of the tragedy through the news. The chief rabbi of Israel and mayor of Jerusalem also paid their respects.

The bodies of the children, ages 5 to 16, were flown to Israel overnight from New York and were immediately taken to Jerusalem in a convoy escorted by police. According to Jewish tradition, funerals take place as soon as possible after death.

"Why seven? Seven beautiful lilies," the children's father, Gabriel Sassoon, cried out in an anguished eulogy. "So pure. So pure."

He later called out the names of his children, one by one. - AP
PAKISTAN

Armed-drone rollout

Pakistan has demonstrated its first locally manufactured armed drone aircraft. The drone was introduced to the public Monday as part of Pakistan's Republic Day parade, with officials hailing it as a key element in the country's battle against local Islamic militant groups. The annual parade itself had been suspended for seven years due to fears of terrorist attack.

- AP
BRITAIN

No third term?

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is seeking reelection on May 7, ruled out standing for a third term in 2020, saying "fresh leadership would be good." "I'm not saying all prime ministers necessarily definitely go bad, or even go bad at the same rate," Cameron told the BBC. "The third term is something I'm not contemplating." Cameron is seeking a second term in the most uncertain election in decades. - Bloomberg