In brief: Syrian rebels free inmates; deal reached on Homs relief

Beirut – A suicide bomber blew himself up at the gates of a Syrian prison Thursday and rebels stormed in behind him, freeing hundreds of inmates as part of an offensive aimed at capturing key government symbols around the northern city of Aleppo, activists said.

Government forces, meanwhile, dropped crude “barrel bombs” in deadly airstrikes as both sides escalated their fight for the strategic city ahead of a second round of peace talks set for next week. Opposition leaders threatened to suspend the talks over the barrel bombings.

In the past six days alone, the makeshift weapons – containers packed with explosives, fuel and scrap metal – have killed more than 250 people in Aleppo, including 73 children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In other developments, Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government said it has reached an agreement with the United Nations to let hundreds of trapped civilians leave besieged parts of the city of Homs and permit U.N. humanitarian relief convoys to enter.

U.S. waiving sanctions on Iran state broadcaster

Washington – The U.S. is temporarily waiving sanctions on Iran’s state broadcaster, a senior Obama administration official said Thursday.

The move will allow foreign satellite companies to provide services to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. It comes after the U.S. has verified that harmful satellite interference currently was not emanating from Iran, the official said.

The waiver was not part of the easing of sanctions included in the interim nuclear agreement the U.S. and international partners reached with Iran late last year, but could be seen as a confidence-building measure as the parties move toward talks on a final agreement.

Ford, brother launching video series on YouTube

Toronto – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, whose admitted crack cocaine use and bizarre antics made him a favorite of late-night comedians, now has a video channel of his own.

Ford and his brother, a city councilor, are launching a YouTube series called “Ford Nation” that will debut Monday.

The mayor of Canada’s largest city asks people to “please judge me on my record, not my personal life” in a preview posted Thursday.

A news release from the mayor’s office promises “unfiltered” talk and asks viewers to submit questions to an email address.