News in Brief

Newsweek sold to digital news firm
BBC Online

 
The former US current affairs magazine Newsweek has been sold to a US digital news company. IBT Media will buy what is left of the magazine, which published its last ever print edition in December, from owner IAC for an undisclosed price.
After 80 years, Newsweek became a digital-only publication amid falling ad revenues as audiences moved online.
It was last sold by the Washington Post for $1 in 2010 and merged with the Daily Beast website.
The newsweek.com web address will be revived in the coming weeks, IBT Media said.

China bans NZ dairy imports
Afp, Wellington

 
China has blocked all imports of milk powder from New Zealand, a New Zealand minister said yesterday, after bacteria that can lead to botulism was found in some dairy products.
Trade Minister Tim Groser said the ban was "entirely appropriate", after global dairy giant Fonterra said some exported whey products including infant formula may contain bacteria that could lead to the potentially fatal illness. However, China has not officially announced an import ban.

Israel to free 26 prisoners on Aug13
Afp, Jerusalem

 
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat says that Israel will free the first batch of a promised 104 long-serving Palestinian and Israeli Arab prisoners on August 13.
Israel says that the men will go free in stages depending on progress in newly-resumed peace talks with the Palestinians. The prisoner release was approved by the Israeli cabinet last week to coincide with the talks, revived after a three-year hiatus.

Tunisia foils new assassination bid
Afp, Tunis

 
Tunisia said its forces killed a "terror" suspect in a dawn raid yesterday and separately foiled a political assassination, like the one that has plunged the country into crisis.
Overnight, the ministry said that police had foiled a new bid to assassinate a political figure and that two "very dangerous terrorists" had been arrested and guns and grenades seized.
The announcements came after rival protests for and against the Islamist-led coalition government, with the opposition demanding the resignation of the cabinet and the dissolution of the National Constituent Assembly.