UNITED NATIONS-HUMANITARIAN FINANCING CRISIS

UNITED NATIONS — An estimated $40 billion is needed annually to help the rapidly growing number of people needing humanitarian aid as a result of conflicts and natural disasters — and one possibility to help fill the $15 billion funding gap is a small voluntary tax on tickets for soccer games and other sports, concerts and entertainment events, airline travel, and gasoline, a U.N.-appointed panel said. 

PRESIDENTIAL RACE-PRISONER RELEASE

UNDATED — The release of four Americans detained by Iran wins praise from several Republicans running for president, along with condemnation of the Obama administration for its dealings with the Islamic Republic.

BELIZE-US TOURIST DIES

BELIZE CITY — An autopsy on the body of a U.S. tourist found dead in western Belize has determined that she was strangled to death. Anne Swaney died from "asphyxia due to compression of the neck area, throttling and blunt force traumatic injuries to the head and neck," according to the post-mortem report.

BURKINA FASO-HOTEL ATTACK-AMERICAN

NEW YORK — The mother-in-law of an American missionary has confirmed that he is among those killed after al-Qaida fighters attacked a hotel and cafe in Burkina Faso's capital of Ouagadougou.