World Briefs: Egyptians upset by stabbing

ASIA

EUROPE

Germany lauds acts of bravery

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel presented medals for bravery on Monday, marking the first time since World War II that the nation has bestowed such an honor. Merkel honored four soldiers who rushed to aid injured soldiers and civilians after a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, saying that the Cross of Honor for Bravery is an "important innovation” in Germany’s military tradition and that they were deserving of the award.

AFRICA

Divers to seek black boxes

NAIROBI, Kenya — Speedboats whisked French navy divers to the site of an Indian Ocean plane crash on Monday to search for the black boxes belonging to Yemenia Airways Flight 626. French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck said a French submarine had heard signals emitting from the two black boxes Sunday. Divers reached the crash site Monday but did not go in the water.

Namibia OKs seal hunt

JOHANNESBURG — Namibia’s annual commercial seal hunt will go on despite objections by animal welfare groups, a government official said Monday. Hunters are expected to kill about 90,000 seals, including 85,000 pups. Namibia is one of only a few remaining countries with a commercial seal harvest. The government argues that the seal population needs to be controlled to protect fish stocks.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS