In short

Today's other news in brief

Today's other news in brief

Claim bombs planned for World Cup

BERLIN - Two failed attempts to bomb trains in Germany in July had originally been planned for the World Cup, a newspaper reported yesterday. The Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung cited security sources as saying interrogation of the suspects had established that the would-be bombers had abandoned the original plan as they had considered the implications of such an attack.

One of the bombs was found in July on a train in Dortmund, which hosted some this year's World Cup matches - (Reuters)

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UN to investigate Israeli violations

GENEVA - The UN's top human rights body yesterday announced a three-person team to investigate allegations of violations by Israel during its month-long war in Lebanon. The Human Rights Council, composed of 47 states, last month called for launching a high-level commission of inquiry to investigate what it called "systematic targeting and killing" of Lebanese civilians by Israel. -(Reuters)

Polish priests may name drunk-drivers

WARSAW - Prosecutors in overwhelmingly Catholic Poland have asked priests to read out the names of drink-drivers from the pulpit as part of efforts to reduce the road death rate.

Church leaders have not said yet whether they will support the scheme, aimed to shame drivers into sobriety. - (Reuters)

Ghana bans gay conference

ACCRA - Ghana's government said yesterday it was banning a gay and lesbian conference due to be held next week for fear it would encourage homosexuality and undermine the country's culture and morality. - (Reuters)

Monarchy call in Kazakhstan

ALMATY - The powerful son-in-law of Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev yesterday called for the setting up of a monarchy in the ex-Soviet central Asian state.

Mr Nazarbayev, accused by rivals of placing family members in government jobs and industry, has ruled his vast oil-producing republic since 1989. Before becoming president after the Soviet collapse in 1991, he was head of the Kazakh Communist Party. - (Reuters)

Bomb attempt on Corsica synagogue

AJACCIO - An explosive device that failed to go off was found on the steps of Corsica's only synagogue yesterday, the prosecutor's office said. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the handmade device, discovered by a passer-by on the steps of Bastia's Beth Meir synagogue. The same synagogue was desecrated in 1998. - (Reuters)

Bulgaria still facing questions

SOFIA - Bulgaria still needs to demonstrate it can ensure the rule of law, fight organised crime and tame corruption, enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said yesterday. The state has less than four weeks to convince the EU it is ready to join next year . - (Reuters)