In the World

ECUADOR

U.S. is ending

security program

The U.S. will halt a security initiative run by military officials out of its embassy in Ecuador after a request by the nation, an embassy spokesman said Friday.

Ecuador sent a letter to the U.S. Embassy this month asking it to eliminate the Office of Security Cooperation. President Rafael Correa had said the embassy had a "scandalous" number of military officers.

The office provided close to $7 million to Ecuador last year for programs related to technical training, maintenance of vehicles and planes, and human trafficking, among others. - Reuters
AUSTRALIA

Passenger stirs alert

A drunken passenger on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Bali prompted pilots to issue a hijack alert that disrupted air travel to and from the resort island for hours Friday, Indonesian and Australian authorities said. A Queensland man, 28, was later arrested. - L.A. Times

EGYPT

Woman dies in clash

A supporter of Egypt's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood was killed Friday in clashes with the security forces south of Cairo, medical sources said. The woman, Reda Dahish, died after being hit by birdshot in her stomach. Six other people were injured, the sources said. - Reuters