Briefs | Saudi Arabia: Crown prince leads Islamic military alliance meeting

Saudi Arabia’s assertive crown prince yesterday opened the first high-level meeting of a kingdom-led alliance of Muslim nations against terrorism, vowing that extremists will no longer “tarnish our beautiful religion.” Mohammed bin Salman’s words come as the Islamic State group, which sparked the creation of the alliance, has been driven out of Iraq and lost its self-described capital in Syria.

Spain: 22 hurt when night club floor collapses

Spanish authorities say that 22 people were hurt on the island of Tenerife when the floor of a night club collapsed and sent the revelers plunging into the basement. Emergency services for the Canary Islands say that the people fell “about one story” into the basement early Sunday after a hole of approximately four square meters opened in the floor.

Zimbabwe: Mugabe was relieved after quitting, mediator says

Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe knew it was “the end of the road” days before he quit, and appeared relieved when he signed his resignation letter after 37 years in power, a Catholic priest who mediated talks leading to his ouster said yesterday. Fidelis Mukonori, who has known Mugabe for decades, said in an interview with The Associated Press that Mugabe, under immense pressure in his final days as president, wanted a gradual and “smooth” transition of power to Emmerson Mnangagwa, the vice president he had recently fired and who is now Zimbabwe’s new leader.