world news

Female Nobel laureates in Bangladesh to meet Rohingya women

DHAKA, Bangladesh –  Three female Nobel Peace laureates have begun a weeklong trip to Bangladesh to meet Rohingya women who were tortured and raped by Myanmar soldiers before fleeing the country. During the trip that began Saturday, Iran's Shirin Ebadi,…

EU and Russia vie for influence in volatile Balkans region

BELGRADE, Serbia –  For years, Russia has worked to gain influence in Southeast Europe, using Serbia as a foothold to establish a friendly pocket on a hostile continent. The European Union finally is pushing back. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker…

Death toll from twin blasts in Somalia's capital rises to 21

MOGADISHU, Somalia –  Authorities say the death toll in a pair of explosions Friday evening in Somalia's capital has risen to 21. The director of Aamin Ambulance service, Dr. Abdirahman Abdulqadir, gave the new toll Saturday. It was confirmed by…

Egypt court fines leading activist over insulting judiciary

CAIRO –  An Egyptian court has fined one of the leading activists behind the 2011 uprising 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($565) during his re-trial over insulting the judiciary. Saturday's ruling on Ahmed Douma, reported by the state-run Al Ahram newspaper, is…

US donors balk at pope's request for $25M for Rome hospital

VATICAN CITY –  The Vatican is facing another financial headache after donors to a major U.S. Catholic foundation balked at a request from Pope Francis to foot a $25 million loan to a scandal-plagued Rome hospital. The Immaculate Institute for…

Iranian official panned for rights abuses to visit UN body

GENEVA –  An upcoming visit to the United Nations' top human rights body by Iran's justice minister is attracting criticism since the European Union has issued sanctions against him for rights violations. Critics say Seyyed Alireza Avaei has no place…

Money-laundering watchdog: Close North Korean banks

PARIS –  The watchdog that monitors global and illicit misuse of funds has cited North Korea as a top source of "ongoing and substantial" money laundering and terrorist financing and urged countries to close North Korean banks. The Financial Action…

18 dead after 2 blasts, gunfire rock Somalia's capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia –  Two car bomb blasts rocked Somalia's capital on Friday evening, followed by gunfire, police said, and an ambulance service said at least 18 people had been killed. The explosions shattered a months-long period of calm in Mogadishu,…

The Latest: At least 18 dead in 2 blasts in Somali capital

MOGADISHU, Somalia –  The Latest on the attack in Somalia's capital (all times local): 8:35 p.m. The director of an ambulance service in Somalia's capital says its workers have ferried 18 bodies after a pair of explosions in Mogadishu. Abdirahman…

103 migrants found abandoned in freight trailer near US border

Mexican officials say they have found 103 Central American migrants in a freight trailer abandoned near the U.S. border.  (Mexico's National Immigration Institute ) Mexican immigration agents say they have found 103 Central American migrants in a freight trailer left…

8 charged in murder of wildlife conservationist in Tanzania

JOHANNESBURG –  A U.S.-based wildlife conservation group says authorities in Tanzania have arrested and charged eight people for the murder of the group's co-founder Wayne Lotter, who was shot in Dar es Salaam last year. The PAMS Foundation on Friday…

UN to vote on 30-day humanitarian cease-fire in Syria

UNITED NATIONS –  The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote Friday on a resolution demanding a 30-day cease-fire across Syria to deliver humanitarian aid to millions and evacuate the critically ill and wounded. The resolution would allow attacks directed at…

Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors demand support

BUCHAREST, Romania –  Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors have demanded that the country's top judicial body defend their reputations, saying the independence of the justice system is at stake. The 135 prosecutors said Friday they had asked the Supreme Council of Magistrates…

Canadian police charge alleged killer with another murder

TORONTO –  Canadian police say they've charged an alleged serial killer with one additional charge of murder, bringing the total to six. Police believe there are more victims. Detective Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Friday they have now identified the remains…

2 blasts, gunfire rock Somalia's capital; 3 said killed

MOGADISHU, Somalia –  A Somali police official says two car bomb blasts have rocked the capital, Mogadishu, followed by sustained gunfire. Three people have been killed. Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the first blast, apparently caused by a suicide car bomber,…

France to charge suspect in Spain attacks that killed 16

PARIS –  The French prosecutor's office says an unnamed person detained in France in connection with the August extremist attacks in Spain will be handed preliminary charges. The prosecutor's office said Friday that the suspect is being held as part…

Switzerland: 2 killed in shooting in Zurich

BERLIN –  Police say two people are dead after a shooting in Switzerland's biggest city, Zurich. They say the situation is under control. City police said they rushed to the scene near the central train station after passers-by reported hearing…

Russia: Embassy coke bust shows our mission's strength

MOSCOW –  A spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry is brushing off suggestions that the discovery of hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of cocaine in a school attached to Moscow's Argentina embassy harms the mission's reputation. On Thursday, Argentina's security minister announced…

Turkish court rules 3 academics committed terror propaganda

ISTANBUL –  Turkey's official news agency says a court has ruled that three academics who signed a peace petition committed terror propaganda but deferred a final verdict for five years. Anadolu news agency said the Istanbul court on Friday originally…