Pakistan blasphemy protest

• ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday blocked off roads into Islamabad as an Islamist party that backs strict blasphemy laws staged a sit-in on a key highway. The party demanded the resignation of a minister it blames for changes to an electoral oath. Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row on the blasphemy charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out. Reuters

Varsity cheating

•COLUMBUS: Ohio State University has accused 83 undergraduate students of cheating on classwork using a group messaging app. The school says the students violated the code of conduct for "unauthorised collaboration on graded assignments." A varsity spokesman says the use of group messaging apps is permitted, but is subject to the same rules as any other communication. AP

Australia asylum

• SYDNEY: About 20 asylum seekers departed an abandoned Australian-run detention centre in Papua New Guinea on Friday, leaving hundreds threatened with forcible eviction within days, amid an immigration standoff that has blighted Australia for years. Reuters

German site

• FRANKFURT: German investigators shut down an illegal file-sharing site with around 27,000 members as part of a police sting targeting 42 suspects across Germany. The site, usenetrevolution.info, was used to share bootleg copies of movies, music and e-books. Reuters

Yemen border relief

• ADEN: The Saudi-led military coalition fighting against the Houthi movement in Yemen has reopened a land border crossing, easing a blockade imposed on the country earlier this week, a Yemeni official and witnesses said on Friday. Reuters

Turkey detention

• ISTANBUL: Turkish police have detained 100 people in three separate operations on Friday over suspected links to Islamic State, media reports said.Reuters