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VIENNA (AP) — U.S. and Iranian officials say Iran is releasing four Americans in exchange for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States. Those being released include Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian (reh-ZY'-ahn), former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati (ah-MEER' hehk-MAH'-tee) and pastor Saeed Abedini. Officials also say a fifth American has been released in a move unrelated to the swap. He's a student identified as Matthew Trevithnick.
UNDATED (AP) — Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are welcoming the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini in a prisoner swap with Iran, but fellow GOP hopeful Marco Rubio says Americans should never have been captured in the first place. Rubio blamed the Obama administration's willingness to do prisoner swaps in the past.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's transport minister says his country has reached a deal with the European consortium Airbus to buy 114 passenger planes once international economic sanctions are lifted as part of a nuclear deal. He's quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying that the first shipment of planes will arrive in Iran before March 20 to upgrade Iran's aging fleet. Iran has said it is looking to buy 400 passenger planes over the next decade. The release of a U.N. compliance report that would trigger the lifting of sanctions is believed to be imminent.
ROME (AP) — An Italian judge has upheld the arrest of a Senegalese man jailed in the killing of an American woman. The suspect's lawyer says the judge questioned Cheik Tidiane Diaw (shehr tih-dee-EHN' dee-OW) at a closed-door hearing and determined he should stay in jail. Prosecutors have accused Diaw of aggravated homicide in the death of Ashley Olsen, but no formal charges have been filed. He denies killing Olsen, who was found dead in her Florence apartment on Jan. 9.
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) — A fourth man has been charged in the 2009 beating death of a New Jersey middle school teacher who authorities say was killed when robbers mistakenly targeted her apartment. Monmouth County prosecutors say Jerry Spraulding of Keansburg faces felony murder and other charges. Three other men are already charged in the death of Jonelle Melton. Authorities say the men planned to rob a different apartment in Melton's complex but killed her after realizing they'd entered the wrong one.
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