A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Survey says one in 10 in EU binge-drinks
BRUSSELS- One in every 10 people in the European Union is a binge-drinker but increasing taxes on alcohol is unlikely to have a big impact on consumption, a new survey has said.
A poll on attitudes to alcohol said binge-drinking - when a person usually consumes five or more alcoholic beverages in a session - is a problem among young people.
"Nineteen per cent of the 15-24 age group usually binge-drink when consuming alcohol," the survey on behalf of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said. - ( Reuters )
German president pleads for hostages
BERLIN- German president Horst Köhler has called for the immediate release of a German woman and her grown-up son who have been held hostage in Iraq for five weeks and threatened with death.
In a video message recorded yesterday during a visit by Mr Köhler to Latin America, he appealed directly to the kidnappers, who said last week they would kill Hannelore Krause (61) and her son Sinan in 10 days unless Berlin pulled its 3,000 soldiers out of Afghanistan. - ( Reuters )
Two killed by their own bomb
ALGIERS- Two members of an Algerian Islamist militant group have been killed when a roadside bomb they were planting outside the capital Algiers exploded prematurely, according to the official APS news agency.
Several other rebels were wounded when the home- made bomb went off at the side of a road intersection on Tuesday in Boumerdes province, 50 km (31 miles) from Algiers. - ( Reuters )
Fatah and Hamas agree ministry
GAZA- Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas have agreed to appoint an as yet unnamed person as interior minister, a cabinet spokesman has said.
The agreement on the interior post, which oversees the security services, removes a key obstacle to forming a unity government. The new cabinet is expected to be unveiled today and approved by the Palestinian parliament on Saturday. - ( Reuters )
Montenegro starts EU process
PODGORICA- Montenegro will today open the door towards eventual European Union membership when it signs an agreement with the EU, according to Montenegro's deputy prime minister Gordana Djurovic.
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the first formal step towards eventual accession, will be signed during a visit by EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn to Podgorica. - (Reuters)
Egyptian girl tests positive for bird flu
CAIRO- A 10-year-old Egyptian girl has tested positive for bird flu, becoming the 25th human case in the country, a World Health Organisation official has said. - ( Reuters )
SAS plans for emissions offset
OSLO- Scandinavian airline SAS says it will let passengers offset greenhouse emissions from their flights by investing in renewable energy. SAS is the second airline after British Airways to introduce the scheme. - ( Reuters )
Fashion designer on rape charges
LOS ANGELES- A celebrity fashion designer has been charged with rape, sexual battery and lewd acts on a minor in what prosecutors say were assaults on two women and a 15-year-old girl.
A lawyer for Anand Jon said yesterday the sex was consensual and suggested the women had falsely accused his client because he did not make them famous. - ( Reuters )