The week at a glance...Europe

Reykjavík, Iceland

Where women are people: Iceland leads the world in women’s rights. The World Economic Forum has put the tiny North Atlantic nation at the top of its ranking of global gender equality for the fifth year in a row, based on women’s access to education, political office, jobs, and health care. The U.S. placed 23rd, well below such nations as the Philippines (5th) and Nicaragua (10th). Pakistan and Yemen came in last. The WEF’s analysis shows that a smaller gender gap drives economic competitiveness. The Philippines, for example, is now the fastest-growing economy in Asia, while Iceland has bounced back more quickly than most European countries despite nearly going bankrupt in the 2008 crash.

Paris

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Al Qaida hostages freed: Four Frenchmen held for three years by al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb returned home this week after being freed in mysterious circumstances. The four were abducted while working for the French state-controlled nuclear company Areva at a uranium mine in Arlit, Niger. French officials collected them in northern Mali this week and thanked the government of Niger for its negotiation efforts, but it was unclear whether the French government or Areva had paid a ransom. “My son is 28. He’s spent more than one out of every 10 days of his life in captivity,” Alain Legrand, father of hostage Pierre Legrand, said. “I would like someone to explain to me why.”

Nazaré, Portugal

Storm whips up gnarly waves: A Brazilian surfer may have set a new world record during the fierce storm that blew across Europe this week. While everyone else hunkered down and hid from hurricane-strength winds that blew down trees and power lines, killing at least a dozen people, surfers flocked to the Portuguese coast. Carlos Burle rescued fellow Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira from drowning after she broke her ankle and was knocked unconscious, and he then went on to surf a massive wave that may have been as high as 100 feet. The world record is 78 feet, set in 2011 on the same beach by American Garrett McNamara.