Analysts say French president's plan to boost economy, attract jobs is misguided
PARIS (AP) -- The man charged with reviving France's shrinking economy and attracting businesses to invest here is gaining a reputation for doing the opposite....

The pope and the devil: Francis' obsession with Satan leads to suspicion he performed exorcism
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Is Pope Francis an exorcist?...

Guatemala's top court overturns ex-dictator's genocide conviction, orders trial to resume
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) -- Guatemala's top court has thrown another curve into the genocide case of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, overturning his conviction and ordering that the trial be taken back to the middle of the proceedings....

Myanmar court sentences Muslims for killing Buddhist monk during sectarian unrest
MEIKHTILA, Myanmar (AP) -- A Myanmar court sentenced seven Muslims to prison Tuesday - one of them to a life term - in the killing of a Buddhist monk amid deadly sectarian violence that was overwhelmingly directed against minority Muslims but has not led to any criminal trials against members of the country's Buddhist majority....

Owner of Chinese fishing boat seized by North Koreans says captain was beaten, fuel stolen
BEIJING (AP) -- Gunmen wearing North Korean military uniforms released a Chinese fishing boat Tuesday after holding its crew for two weeks, beating up the captain and stealing the vessel's fuel, the boat's owner said. He added that the hijackers did not get the 600,000 yuan ($100,000) ransom they had demanded....

Reports boost speculation that Iran has barred 2 prominent figures from presidential ballot
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iranian news websites boosted speculation Tuesday that election overseers have barred two prominent but divisive figures from next month's presidential ballot, in a move that would eliminate a threat to the country's hard-liners....

Syrian army, Hezbollah fighters battle rebels in town near Lebanon border 3rd straight day
BEIRUT (AP) -- Backed by elite troops of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, Syrian government forces fought rebels in a strategic opposition-held Syrian town near the Lebanese border for the third straight day Tuesday....

Chinese rice mills investigated following reports of large-scale rice contamination
BEIJING (AP) -- Authorities are investigating rice mills in southern China following tests that found almost half of the staple grain in one of the country's largest cities was contaminated with a toxic metal....

Move over Usain! Feathered Bolt sells for $400,000 after only 1 year in priciest pigeon sale
BRUSSELS (AP) -- Flying high above Europe's economic crisis, a local lightning-fast pigeon called Bolt became the world's most expensive racing bird when his Belgian breeder sold it for 310,000 euros ($400,000) to a Chinese businessman....

Rights group: Dramatic spike in number of Afghan women jailed for 'moral crimes'
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The number of Afghan women and girls jailed for "moral crimes" has risen dramatically in the past 18 months, raising concerns that gains in women's rights might be reversed with the withdrawal of most international troops next year, a rights group said Tuesday....