Bangladesh: Recovery continues in ferry accidents

Rescue workers have recovered more than 110 bodies after two ferry boats capsized during tropical storms on different Bangladeshi rivers, and hundreds of people remained missing, authorities said Tuesday.

Some 108 bodies, including those of women and children, were recovered after a double-decker ferry, MV Mitali, sank Monday in the Buriganga River near the capital, Dhaka, the Shipping Ministry said.

More than 200 people still were missing from that ferry.

Earlier Monday, the ML Majlishpur ferry, carrying about 90 members of a wedding party, capsized in the Meghna River, 50 miles northeast of Dhaka.

Authorities said about 30 passengers swam ashore, but the others, including the bride, were missing and feared dead. Five bodies were recovered by Tuesday.

Colombia: U.S. contractors held hostage identified

The Colombian Attorney General’s Office in Bogota identified three U.S. military contractors captured by the nation’s largest rebel group after their plane crashed more than two months ago in the southern jungle.

The three hostages were identified as Keith Donald Stansell, Marco Gonzalves and Thomas Howes. Their hometowns were not given.

The men were taken hostage Feb. 13 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The FARC has said the men are prisoners of war and will be released only if the Colombian government frees dozens of jailed rebels and grants the group a demilitarized zone.

The Americans’ plane went down during an intelligence mission in the state of Caqueta, a rebel stronghold and cocaine-producing region. A fourth American — Thomas Janis of Montgomery, Ala. — was killed along with a Colombian colleague near the scene of the crash.

Netherlands: Convicted assassin seeks shorter sentence

The man convicted of assassinating outspoken Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn will appeal his 18-year prison sentence, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Volkert van der Graaf was convicted last week of shooting Fortuyn on May 6, nine days before national elections. Fortuyn was a leading contender for prime minister based on his anti-immigration platform.

Defense attorneys said judges in the case may have been swayed by the fierce outcry directed at Van der Graaf from politicians in Fortuyn’s party.

Prosecutors, who sought a life sentence, have already filed an appeal seeking harsher punishment.

Dutch courts usually jail defendants convicted of a single murder for 12 to 16 years; life sentences are rare.

Azerbaijan : President assures country he’s not ill

Azerbaijan’s president appeared on television Tuesday and said he was feeling fine, a day after collapsing during a televised speech.

Geidar Aliev met with U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson in Baku to discuss sending 150 Azerbaijani peacekeepers to Iraq to guard Muslim holy sites, museums and other cultural objects, and said the troops were expected to arrive there by May 12.

“I feel well. Everything is normal,” he told Wilson. He then turned to the camera operators and waved, saying, “I’m alive, healthy and here.”

The appearance came after Aliev, 79, stumbled and later collapsed Monday during a speech at a military academy, twice interrupting a live, national broadcast.

Before Aliev appeared on television Tuesday, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade flew to the United States.

Rasizade, whose trip was not planned in advance, left Monday night, the official said. The destination and purpose of the visit were unclear.