News in Brief

2 get reprieve: The lawyer for a Tunisian journalist and a rapper convicted of insulting the justice system said their suspended jail sentences represented a sign of progress in a country trying to come to grips with freedom of expression.

Ghazi Mrabet said Hind Meddeb, a French-Tunisian journalist, and Aymen Fekih, known by his rapper name Men-Ay, were given four month suspended sentences Monday instead of the 18-months imprisonment they may have expected for insulting public servants and offending public morals. (AP) German found safe: Germany’s Foreign Office says a German-Egyptian novelist who disappeared in Cairo a few days ago has resurfaced.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said Wednesday that Hamed Abdel-Samad, known for critical and sometimes provocative statements on religion and society, resurfaced Tuesday and has been in contact with the German ambassador in Cairo. He disappeared on Sunday. (AP) Baby girl dies: The Hamas prime minister’s office in Gaza says that his one-year-old granddaughter, who sought SILIANA, Tunisia, Nov 27, (AFP): Angry protesters clashed with police Wednesday and torched an office of Tunisia’s ruling Islamist party, as rising discontent and political deadlock prompted people to go on strike in three parts of the country.

In Siliana, southwest of Tunis, hundreds of residents gathered outside the governor’s office to remember more than 300 people injured one year ago, when demonstrations exploded into days of running clashes between police and protesters.

Violence broke out when dozens of them hurled rocks at the police, who responded by throwing rocks back and driving into the crowd to disperse them. medical treatment in Israel last week, has died.

The girl was brought to Israel in grave condition last week but returned to the Gaza Strip a day later after Israeli doctors concluded they could not help her. (AP)