Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO — Prisoners released six hostages unharmed Thursday and ended a bloody uprising at a maximum-security prison. Four inmates died, including a top Brazilian drug lord, authorities said. The rebellion began Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro's Bangu 1 penitentiary when prisoners seized four guards and four employees of a construction company working in the prison, the state security bureau said. The rebelling prisoners took keys to some cells and released inmates, setting off a vicious gang fight.
China
BEIJING — The government has sentenced two veteran pro-democracy activists to prison as part of a general crackdown on government critics ahead of a key Communist Party congress later this year, a human rights group said Thursday. A court in the eastern city of Qingdao sentenced Mu Chuanheng to three years in prison and Yan Peng to 1 1/2 years, both on charges of trying to overthrow the government and insulting the nation's leaders, Human Rights in China said.
Ecuador
QUITO — A little-known group calling itself a rebel organization claimed responsibility for two recent explosions in which no one died and threatened to assassinate corrupt politicians. Authorities refused to comment on the communique distributed late Tuesday by the so-called Revolutionary Armed Forces of Ecuador, or FARE.
Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA — An explosion in a hotel in the Ethiopian capital killed one woman and injured 37 people, a government official said Thursday. There were conflicting reports about the cause of the blast at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Tigray Hotel in the busy Piazza district.
Macedonia
SKOPJE — Ten gunmen attacked a remote police station in Macedonia's tense northwest on Thursday, killing a police officer before fleeing, police said. The killing of Fikri Elmazi, 34, added to tensions ahead of Sunday's elections, the first to be held after a six-month ethnic insurgency ended in August 2001.
Nepal
KATMANDU — Nepal's Maoist rebels called for a cease-fire Thursday, but the government said it was a ploy to prevent a counterattack after rebels killed 106 soldiers and police over the weekend. As the government prepared to re-impose a state of emergency in the Himalayan nation, the elusive rebel leader Prachanda, in a statement faxed to newspapers Wednesday night, said the guerrillas were ready to begin peace talks.
Russia
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter to world leaders accusing Georgia of harboring Chechen rebels and terrorists and outlining his case for military action in Russia's neighbor. The letter, made public on Thursday hours before a U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, accused Georgia of violating U.N. anti-terrorism resolutions and said Russia will act if Georgia does not quell the threat.
Sicily
CALTANISSETTA — Italian police arrested 15 Pakistani citizens Thursday accused of links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network, officials said. The men were picked up in Caltanissetta, a city in central Sicily, said a local police official, Luca Amico. They are charged with subversive association and association for the aim of international terrorism.
Singapore
Police have arrested a Singaporean man who showed up for a Sept. 11 memorial service at the U.S. Embassy wearing a Saddam Hussein mask and army fatigues. The 47-year-old man was handed over to doctors at Singapore's Institute of Mental Health, police spokesman Melvin Chia said Thursday. Chia said police were continuing to investigate.
Taiwan
UNITED NATIONS — Taiwan, which lost its U.N. seat to China in 1971, failed again Wednesday to win recognition by the world body. After hearing members' views, the general committee of the General Assembly declined to include the question of Taiwan on the agenda of the current session, effectively killing any chance this year for Taipei to regain a seat.
Zimbabwe
HARARE — The government announced Thursday it will tighten its land seizure laws, effectively canceling eviction reprieves that courts have given to scores of white farmers. It is the latest setback for white landowners who are battling President Robert Mugabe's plan to seize their properties and give them to landless blacks.