A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Militant group releases British hostage
ABUJA– Nigeria's most prominent militant group has released a British hostage held for seven months in the creeks of the restive Niger Delta, a military spokesman has said.
“The British hostage has been released and he is currently with government authorities in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Col Rabe Abubakar, spokesman for the military taskforce in the Niger Delta, said yesterday.
– (Reuters)
Cyprus hardliners set for poll win
NICOSIA– Turkish Cypriot hardliners were poised to sweep to a decisive election victory in northern Cyprus last night that could hinder peace talks with Greek Cypriots essential to Turkey's EU membership ambitions.
The two sides launched peace talks in 2008 aimed at creating a state based on the two zones – Turkish and Greek – that have existed since a 1974 Turkish invasion.
With more than half the votes counted, the right wing National Unity Party (UBP) had 44.19 per cent of the vote, according to provisional results released by the Turkish Cypriot administration.
– (Reuters)
Afghans to double police numbers
KABUL– Afghanistan hopes to double the size of its 82,000-strong police force and in the meantime will recruit and train 15,000 new police by the August 20th presidential election.
Minister for the interior Hanif Atmar told a news conference that Afghan authorities had asked international donors to approve a “strategic increase” in the size of the force.
– (Reuters)
New speaker in Iraq parliament
BAGHDAD– Iraq's parliament has picked a prominent Sunni Arab as its new speaker, filling a post that had been vacant for four months due to political squabbling that had delayed legislative business.
The previous speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, stepped down in December after widespread complaints about his brash style and insults he threw at fellow politicians.
– (Reuters)
Hariri murder suspect arrested
DUBAI– A main suspect in the investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates.
UAE-based TV station Al Arabiya said Mohammed Zuhair al-Siddiq was arrested in the emirate of Sharjah and was being held by UAE security authorities.
– (Reuters)
Family members killed in crash
LONDON– Four of the five people who died in a motorway crash involving a car being driven in the wrong direction were members of the same family, police have confirmed.
A woman and her son and daughter, both aged in their 20s, and their uncle were all pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on the southbound M1 in Bedfordshire on Saturday.
The driver of the other vehicle, a Polish man, also died.
– (Reuters)