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Hamas helps free captured BBC reporter

By TIMES WIRES
Published July 4, 2007

GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP

British reporter Alan Johnston, looking pale and frail, was released Wednesday after nearly four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip and told reporters he was "okay." Johnston, a correspondent for the British Broadcasting Corp., was kidnapped in Gaza City on March 12 by the Army of Islam, a little-known group that was also involved in the capture of Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit more than a year ago. Johnston was held far longer than any other foreign reporter in Gaza. After his release, he was taken to the home of deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Gaza City. Hamas had demanded Johnston's freedom since it violently seized control of Gaza last month, in an apparent bid to curry favor with the West. On Tuesday, Hamas gunmen took positions around the Army of Islam's stronghold, stepping up the pressure to secure his release.

WASHINGTON

U.S., Russia vow to reduce weapons

The United States and Russia pledged Tuesday to reduce their stockpiles of long-range nuclear weapons "to the lowest possible" level, although they have not yet agreed on specific numbers. A pivotal 1991 treaty called for reduction of long-range U.S. and Russian nuclear missiles by about one-third, or to a maximum of 6, 000 deployed strategic warheads, apiece. It is due to expire in December 2009. A 2002 Moscow treaty went further, calling on each side to reduce its operationally deployed strategic warheads to 1, 700 to 2, 220. It expires in December 2012. In an exchange of data last January, the Russians claimed to have 4, 162 strategic warheads, and the United States claimed 5, 866.

Elsewhere

Estonia reburies soldiers: The remains of Soviet soldiers whose exhumation had sparked deadly riots and infuriated neighboring Russia were reburied Tuesday. The remains of 12 Red Army soldiers were exhumed and an adjacent Soviet monument was removed from downtown Tallinn in April. Eight bodies and the statue were relocated about 2 miles away, and the remains of four soldiers were handed over upon request to relatives, the Defense Ministry said.

Iranian newspaper closed: The liberal daily Hammihan, reopened recently after a seven-year absence, was shut down again Tuesday after Iran's hard-line judiciary said the paper's director had failed to sign documents in a court proceeding. The head of the paper's editorial board said the legal technicality was an excuse to silence a voice critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's ruling circle.

Venezuela to sell gas to Iran: Venezuela's energy minister said in comments published Tuesday that the nation has agreed to sell gasoline to Iran. Iran began rationing fuel last week, causing riots. Iran is one of the world's biggest oil producers, but it doesn't have enough refineries, so it must import more than 50 percent of the gasoline its people use.

[Last modified July 4, 2007, 00:11:38]