RAQQA BATTLE SET TO BEGIN “WITHIN DAYS”

beirut» The battle for control of the Islamic State group’s de facto capital Raqqa, in northern Syria, will begin “within days,” a spokeswoman for a U.s.-backed Syrian force at the city’s edges said Saturday.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are already encamped around the city’s northern and eastern divisions and on Saturday made new progress against IS militants to approach the city from the south bank of the Euphrates River. Raqqa lies on the northern side of the river.

Spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed said the SDF, which enjoys the backing of the U.S. military, would launch the battle for Raqqa “very soon.”

Cholera outbreak spreads in Yemen amman, jordan» A cholera outbreak is spreading quickly in war-ravaged Yemen, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 new cases every day, the U.N. children’s agency said Saturday.

Geert Cappelaere, the Middle East director of UNICEF, said in an interview with The Associated Press that 70,000 cases of cholera have been reported in the past month in 19 of Yemen’s 22 governorates.

He voiced his concern that cholera cases could double every two weeks — to 130,000 and then about 300,000 cases — unless more aid is delivered.

Saint’s relics taken from Italian church ● rome» Police are looking for the thieves who stole relics of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesian religious order, from a basilica east of Turin.

The ANSA news agency quoted Turin Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia as appealing to the bandits to “return it immediately, without condition.”

The reliquary was apparently stolen Friday night from the basilica of Castelnuovo Don Bosco, so named for the town’s most famous son. Don Bosco was a 19th century priest and educator whose name graces Salesian-run schools around the globe.

Tweet lands South African politician in hot water ● johannesburg» The former head of South Africa’s main opposition party faced suspension from party activities on Saturday following tweets in which she said colonialism had some positive results.

The uproar over Helen Zille’s comments underlined the challenges facing the Democratic Alliance, whose roots lie in white liberal opposition to apartheid decades ago. The party has broadened its appeal and made big gains in local elections last year, but the ruling African National Congress still dismisses it as primarily representative of South Africa’s white minority.

Zille, who is white, tweeted in March that the colonial legacy was not only negative, citing “our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water etc.”

Thousands join in gay rights march in Warsaw

warsaw, poland» Thousands of people marched and danced down the streets of central Warsaw on Saturday to show their support for gay rights, calling for stronger defiance of discrimination and greater acceptance for same-sex unions and marriages.

The 17th annual “Equality Parade” took place with a backdrop of Poland’s deeply conservative government — one that opposes marriage rights or civil unions for same-sex couples.

Some 40 foreign embassies, including those of France and the United States, expressed their support for the parade.

Police estimated that about 13,000 people took part in the event, which is meant as a demonstration of tolerance not only for gays and lesbians, but also people with disabilities and other marginalized groups.

Gunman attacks bar in northern Mexico ● mexico city» Authorities say a gunman attacked a group of people at a bar in northern Mexico, killing six and wounding 22 others.

A statement from the Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office said the attack was carried out early Saturday in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc after the assailant arrived in a car.

According to official figures, 484 people have been slain in Chihuahua state during the first four months of this year compared with 306 during the same period in 2016.

Bombers strike funeral in Afghanistan ● kabul, afghanistan» At least six people were killed Saturday when a trio of suicide bombers struck a funeral attended by senior government officials, just three days after a powerful truck bomb in one of the most heavily guarded parts of the capital killed 90 people and wounded more than 450.

The string of high-profile attacks has raised serious concerns about the ability of Afghan authorities and security forces to provide even the most basic levels of protection for its citizens.

Officials said 87 people were wounded in three explosions.