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SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Presidential aides in Yemen say Shiite rebels are holding the country's leader captive and he cannot leave his house. The rebels pressed ahead with their power grab today, capturing a military base and posting guards outside the personal residence of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Yemen's deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh (AH'-lee ahb-DUH'-luh sah-LEH'), who was toppled in a 2011 uprising, has asked Hadi to hold early presidential and parliamentary elections. Saleh is suspected of backing the rebels.
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (shin-zoh ah-bay) says he's doing all he can to free two hostages the Islamic State group is threatening to kill unless it receives a $200 million ransom. Abe says he's consulting with leaders in the region, but he says, "We are fighting against time." The militants demanded the ransom in a video posted online Tuesday that showed a knife-brandishing masked militant standing over the kneeling captives. It gave a deadline of 72 hours.
HAVANA (AP) — A U.S. delegation is beginning two days of negotiations today in Havana in hopes of restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. But a senior Cuban official is cautioning that restoring diplomatic ties with the U.S. wouldn't immediately lead to a full relationship between the Cold War foes. And Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are opposed to rapidly rebuilding relations as long as President Raul Castro remains firmly in control of Cuba.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden says he's not worried about gunshots being fired outside his Delaware home last weekend. Biden tells "CBS This Morning" that his house is way off the road, and that there's no evidence that someone was shooting at his house. Security has been boosted at Biden's Wilmington home after several gunshots were heard being fired from a vehicle speeding by the property Saturday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — A former New York college student has been arraigned on allegations that he set a classmate on fire in his dorm, then recorded her putting out the flames as he sang. Jaime Castano is charged with assault and reckless endangerment. The incident happened in August, and Castano was expelled from the school the following month. But the Daily News reports that the college didn't report the incident to police until October. Authorities say cell phone video shows the 19-year-old victim asleep with flames shooting from her clothing. She sustained burns to her torso.
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