Freed Dutch hostages fly home from Yemen

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 14:30

A Dutch couple were heading home from Yemen today after their six-month kidnapping ordeal came to an end.

French hostage held nearly a year escapes in Nigeria

Last Updated: Monday, November 18, 2013, 00:51

A French engineer abducted by Islamist militants in Nigeria has managed to escape after nearly a year in captivity, officials said.

New video shows Czech hostages in Pakistan in fragile state

Last Updated: Thursday, October 31, 2013, 13:51

Relatives of two Czech women kidnapped in Pakistan released a new video today showing them looking exhausted, speaking of death and begging Czech authorities to take action to free them.

Four French hostages freed after three-year kidnap ordeal in Niger

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 13:38

Hollande was to greet the quartet on their arrival at an airport outside Paris after what he called "three years of suffering for the families who lived through a nightmare".

German police in standoff at cafe, man holds 12

Last Updated: Friday, October 25, 2013, 13:49

Police in southwestern Germany are trying to end an overnight standoff with a man who barricaded himself inside a cafe with 12 other people.

Gunman briefly holds four hostage at Paris bank

Last Updated: Saturday, October 19, 2013, 08:45

An armed man with a history of mental health issues held four people hostage for two hours at a Paris bank today, demanding social housing for himself and his son before surrendering to police.

Hostages freed in Philippines, but police chief seized

Last Updated: Tuesday, September 17, 2013, 16:19

Dozens of people held hostage by Muslim rebels waging deadly street battles with Philippine troops escaped on Tuesday amid a military offensive, but the guerrillas kidnapped the city`s police chief, authorities said.

Over 100 hostages in Philippines rescued

Last Updated: Tuesday, September 17, 2013, 11:17

As many as 107 people taken hostage by a rebel group have been rescued, the Philippines military said Tuesday.

France says two journalists held in Syria are alive

Last Updated: Sunday, July 14, 2013, 23:02

France says that two French journalists who were kidnapped in Syria last month are alive, but that one of six French hostages in Mali is likely dead as the al Qaeda-linked captors have said.

Hollande believes hostages alive, Paris `seeking contacts`

Last Updated: Sunday, June 23, 2013, 14:55

French President Francois Hollande said Sunday that he had "every reason to believe that the hostages are alive", and that Paris was "always seeking contacts" to free them.

Eight European hostages still alive: Al Qaeda group

Last Updated: Sunday, June 23, 2013, 13:24

Al Qaeda`s north African branch said in a statement Saturday that eight European hostages it is holding are alive and well, promising to release a new video of the five Frenchmen among them.