A roundup of today's other stories in brief.
Hijacker on Russian aircraft held
PRAGUE -Crew members and passengers overpowered a Russian man who tried to hijack an Aeroflot plane yesterday and the aircraft safely made an emergency landing in Prague, airline officials said.
"One of the passengers on board the Moscow-Geneva flight said he had an explosive device and ordered the crew to change course," Lev Koshlyakov, deputy general director of the Russian airline, said. - (Reuters)
Ex-police officer arrested in Spain
MADRID -Spanish police have arrested former police officer Rodolfo Almiron, wanted in Argentina on a double homicide charge which links him to crimes against humanity, the interior ministry said yesterday.
Judges in Argentina say Almiron was part of the "Triple A" group, an anti- communist organisation which carried out kidnappings and murders on behalf of the Argentine state under president Isabel Martinez de Peron, before the 1976-1983 military dictatorship. - (Reuters)
Chavez to 'muzzle' opposition TV
CARACAS -Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said yesterday the licence of opposition television channel RCTV would not be renewed, giving ammunition to critics who say he is muzzling opponents to build a one-party state.
Mr Chavez has had a long-running battle with opposition television channels RCTV, Venevision and Globovision, which he labels "horsemen of the apocalypse", accusing them of backing a bungled 2002 coup against him. - (Reuters)
Drug traffickers kill 18 in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO -A co-ordinated wave of attacks against police and civilians in Rio de Janeiro left at least 18 dead yesterday after drug traffickers went on the rampage with machine guns and petrol bombs.
With Rio gearing up for one of the world's biggest New Year's Eve celebrations, criminals launched simultaneous attacks on police stations and buses across Brazil's second largest city. - (Guardian service)
21 killed after train crashes into bus
CUAUTITLAN -A freight train smashed into a bus as it crossed a railroad track outside Mexico City yesterday, killing at least 21 people and injuring nine, authorities said.
The bus carrying about 30 people collided with the train as it headed north on a highway in the industrial town of Cuautitlan. - (Reuters)
Police seize 'fake' Goya painting
MADRID -Spanish police seized a painting they suspect was falsely attributed to Goya before it was put up for auction, they said yesterday.
Saints Adoring the Holy Sacrament was seized on Friday before it went under the hammer in Madrid with a reserve price of €1.2 million. - (Reuters)
Two million in Mecca for haj
MECCA -Some two million Muslims began streaming out of Mecca yesterday, the first day of a haj pilgrimage where Saudi authorities are on alert to prevent deadly overcrowding and sectarian violence. - (Reuters)
France to open labour market
PARIS -France said yesterday that it would partially open its labour market to Bulgarian and Romanian workers from January 1st and dismissed talk of an invasion by job-seeking foreigners.
Jobs minister Gerard Larcher said Bulgarians and Romanians would be allowed to apply for jobs when their countries join the EU. - (Reuters)