France denies paying ransom as Sahel hostages return
NIAMEY/PARIS (Reuters) – Four Frenchmen held hostage in the Sahara desert by al Qaeda-linked gunmen for three years were reunited with their families on Wednesday, and Paris dismissed media reports it had paid a ransom for their release.
Egyptian students protest after Brotherhood leader arrested
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian police fired teargas at protesting students at Cairo’s al-Azhar university on Wednesday hours after authorities announced the detention of Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam El-Erian, part of a crackdown against the Islamist mov…
Brazil to extradite former Turks and Caicos premier
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil will extradite former Turks and Caicos Prime Minister Michael Misick to answer corruption charges alleging he accepted millions of dollars in bribes to allow developers to build resort hotels on the Caribbean islands.
U.S. tells U.N. it won’t spy on world body
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Wednesday that the United States has pledged not to spy on the world body’s communications after a report that the National Security Agency had gained access to the U.N. video conferencing system.
Britain approves new press regulation system, newspapers cry foul
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain approved a new system of regulating its press on Wednesday, a move newspapers said was draconian and threatened freedom of speech but which former victims of press excess described as long overdue.
Saudi court convicts Jordanian of spying for Israel: newspaper
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Saudi court convicted a Jordanian citizen of spying for Israel and sentenced him to nine years in jail and 80 lashes, a pro-government Saudi newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Scandal alarms Canada’s ruling Conservatives ahead of convention
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s ruling Conservatives go into what was supposed to be a triumphant convention this weekend trying to limit damage from a scandal over improper expenses that reaches the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and could underm…
Bulgaria takes seven of Roma girl’s brothers and sisters into care
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgarian authorities said on Wednesday they would take into care most of the brothers and sisters of Maria, the four-year-old whose discovery in neighboring Greece captured global attention.
Kenya crackdown on militants troubles Muslims
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) – A Kenyan police crackdown on Islamists is fuelling Muslim resentment and moderate preachers say it undermines their efforts to counter recruiting by al Qaeda militants with links across the border in Somalia.
Peru’s Humala reshuffling Cabinet in investor-friendly move
LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian President Ollanta Humala is reshuffling his Cabinet after asking his prime minister to leave, part of an investor-friendly effort to push through stalled reforms and projects, sources said Wednesday.
