Armed group frees 163 children

GENEVA (AP) — UNICEF says an armed militia group in Central African Republic has released 163 children, some of thousands who have been conscripted in jobs like cooks, messengers, and even combatants.

The children were released at a handover ceremony in the northern town of Batangafo that was facilitated by the U.N. children’s agency and the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country.

Friday’s handover by the anti-Balaka group raises to 645 the number of children released as part of a deal among 10 armed groups in May to release all children from their ranks. UNICEF says it expects hundreds more will be freed by yearend.

Mom angry over $60 ticket for baby

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish woman is fuming after football club Barcelona made her pay $60 for a match ticket for her 10- month-old baby even though the seat wouldn’t be used.

In a letter to El Periodico newspaper this week, Roso Castellsagues related how she and friends bought six tickets to watch Barcelona play on Aug. 17, but stadium officials told her the baby daughter also needed one.

She said she had to buy another ticket – located elsewhere in the stadium – which went unused.

“Is this the way for the club to take care of its fans?” she questioned.

Poland to service Bulgaria’s fighter jets

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s defense ministry says the country has reached a preliminary agreement with Bulgaria to modernize the Balkan country’s Soviet-era fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets.

The deal comes as Bulgaria seeks to reduce its reliance on Russia in light of the Ukraine crisis, which has made many countries across the former Soviet bloc nervous.

The Polish Defense Ministry said a letter of intent was signed in Bulgaria on Friday between the defense ministers of the two countries, which are allies in NATO and the European Union.