Haniyeh: Efforts to free journalist progressing

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday reported progress in efforts to free a kidnapped British journalist, saying negotiators have persuaded the captors to reduce their demands. Haniyeh said the kidnappers of British Broadcasting Corp. correspondent Alan Johnston initially had seven demands. "During debate, those demands were reduced to three," Haniyeh told reporters, confirming earlier reports that officials were negotiating with the kidnappers. He did not say what the remaining demands were.