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Other stories in brief

Over a million Georgians at risk of floods

TBILISI - More than a million Georgians could be evacuated after being told they are at risk from catastrophic flooding, landslides and mud flows.

Geologists and other experts are examining mountainsides and river valleys so people in disaster-prone areas can be evacuated in time.

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The homes of 400,000 families in 3,000 settlements are at risk, said Emi Tsereteli, head of an emergency taskforce. - (Guardian service)

Bodies of abducted brothers found

CARACAS - Venezuelan police have found the bodies of three young brothers kidnapped more than a month ago driving to school. John Bryan, Kevin and Jason Faddoul, aged 17, 13 and 12, were found in scrubland outside Caracas on Tuesday, shot in their heads and necks. The victims were huddled together, alongside the body of their driver.

The boys were kidnapped as they left for school on February 23rd and a week later local media reported the kidnappers had asked for $4.7 million ransom (€3.8m). - (Reuters)

Inquiry into peace force abuse claims

KHARTOUM - The African Union is investigating allegations of rape and child abuse levelled against its peace-monitoring forces in the violent Darfur region, it said in a statement.

The allegations were broadcast by Britain's Channel 4. - (Reuters)

Captain blamed for ferry disaster

CAIRO - The Egyptian government laid more blame yesterday on the captain of the ferry which sank in the Red Sea in February with the loss of more than 1,000 lives.

... It said a recording made on the bridge of the Salam 98 showed the captain did not send a distress signal, report his problems, try to return to port when fire broke out or order crew to use rescue systems. - (Reuters)

Charged with abducting child

LONDON - Police investigating the snatching of a six-year-old girl from her bath in northern England last year said yesterday they had charged a 34-year-old man with kidnap, rape and indecent assault. Peter Ivor Voisey will appear in court tomorrow. - (Reuters)

German hostage freed in Colombia

BERLIN - A German hotelier kidnapped by suspected leftist rebels in Colombia has been freed after five years in captivity and is in safe custody in Bogota, the German foreign ministry said yesterday.

Lothar Hintze (61) was seized in March 2001 by suspected members of Farc in the central Colombian region of Tolima. - (Reuters)

Arab funding for Hamas-led PA

RAMALLAH - Palestinian finance minister Omar Abdel-Razeq said yesterday that the Hamas-led government expected to receive $80 million (€65 million) from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to help pay March salaries. - (Reuters)

Sharon operation is successful

JERUSALEM - Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon underwent a successful operation yesterday to reattach a piece of his skull, a day after the procedure was delayed because of an infection. - (Reuters)

No foul play in Milosevic death

AMSTERDAM - Dutch public prosecutors said yesterday their investigation into the death of Slobodan Milosevic showed the former Yugoslav president died of natural causes. "There is not a single indication that the death was the result of foul play," prosecutors said. - (Reuters)