English

More about this topic

Mali

3 European hostages and Malian politican freed by Islamic extremists

French president Emmanual Macron welcomed the news of the release of French captive Sophie Pétronin, saying it was "a joy to have heard her voice."

USA

‘Militia’ plot to kidnap US governor foiled by undercover agents

A plot to kidnap Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and put her “on trial” was foiled by undercover agents and informants, the FBI said.

Iraq

German art curator kidnapped in Iraq freed in government operation

Her friends and acquaintances reported her missing earlier this week, and she has since been freed.

Moldova

Moldovan MP 'kidnapped' after defecting from ruling party

MPs with the Pro-Moldova party have said Ștefan Gațcan has been kidnapped and forced to resign as a member of parliament after he tried to defect the ruling Socialists.

ADVERTISEMENT

United Kingdom

German prosecutors think missing British girl Madeleine McCann is dead

McCann, then three, went missing on May 3, 2007, in and around the resort in Praia da Luz, on Portugal's Algarve coast.

Iraq

French charity workers kidnapped in Iraq are released

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that four aid workers — three French nationals and an Iraqi — who went missing on January 20 have been freed. No word on where or who held them.

Greece

Sailors kidnapped in armed attack on Greek tanker near Cameroon

Greek authorities said an armed group boarded the tanker and ordered eight members including the 45-year-old captain to leave.

Nigeria

Pirates kidnap 19 crewmembers from Greek oil tanker

Pirates have kidnapped 19 people from Greek tanker off the coast of Nigera, which is the third such incident in just over a month.

World News

Pirates kidnap crew on two European-flagged ships off west Africa

A total of 13 people have been kidnapped in two separate piracy incidents involving European-flagged ships off the coast of West Africa in the last few days.

Romania

Romania's top court strikes down changes to criminal code

Monday's ruling comes at a sensitive time, amid public outrage over the slow response of authorities to the abduction and murder of two teenage girls.

Romania

Romania's police chief fired after missing girl killed by kidnapper

The chief of the Romanian police Ioan Buda was fired by the Romanian Interior ministry on Saturday after a series of errors in his police department led to their failure to save a missing girl.

Austria

Austrian triathlete frees herself after harrowing kidnapping

Austrian cyclist and triathlete Nathalie Birli said she was hit, beaten, and tied up before freeing herself from a kidnapper.

Burkina Faso

Two French soldiers killed during rescue of four hostages in Burkina Faso

Two French soldiers have been killed during a rescue operation by special forces of four people being held hostage by an armed group in Burkina Faso

Benin

Dead body believed to be Benin guide found

A body allegedly belonging to Benin guide was found by authorities after two French tourists and their guide were reported missing on Wednesday.

USA

Wisconsin man charged with kidnapping 13 year old girl and killing her parents

13 year old Jayme Coss escaped from the house where she'd been allegedly held for three months in the tiny town of Gordon by 21 year old Jake Patterson.

Kenya

Gunmen kidnap Italian aid worker during attack in Kenya

Gunmen have kidnapped a 23-year-old Italian female aid worker in the coastal region of Kilifi in Kenya, with five others also injured during the attack

World News

Instagram kidnap: could it happen to you?

Olia Kedik, also known as Olia Moda, is a Russian fashion blogger based in San Francisco, California. Her Instagram account was hacked in early August 2018, and hackers bribed her to pay 350 dollars to get it back.

Italy

Polish man handed 16-year jail term for kidnap of British model

It's after British model Chloe Ayling told Italian police she'd been lured to a photo shoot in Italy's fashion capital last summer, abducted and held captive for six days by Lukasz Herba

Democratic Republic Of Congo

British tourists kidnapped in Congo speak out after being freed

Two British tourists who were kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday have been released, Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson confirmed Sunday.

Democratic Republic Of Congo

British tourists kidnapped in DR Congo released

Two Britons kidnapped in Democratic Republic of Congo Virunga National Park have been released, Britain's Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said.