CRACKDOWN

Arab League Agrees to Syria Sanctions

But is still awaiting final approval.

The Arab League agreed on Saturday to the harshest sanctions yet on Syria, but they still need to be approved by the full 21-nation Arab League. If approved, the sanctions would cut off all commercial flights to the country, and they call for Arab states to freeze the overseas bank accounts of key Syrian officials. Meanwhile, violence continued in Syria on Saturday, with at least nine people killed. Saturday’s violence, concentrated mainly in the eastern town of Deir az-Zor, followed an even bloodier day on Friday that left an estimated 26 people dead, mainly in Homs. The military blamed “terrorists” for the violence, and threatened to “cut every hand” that target’s the country’s security.