A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Germany poll ruling due tomorrow
KARLSRUHE: Germany's highest court has come to a decision on whether to allow an early federal election on September 18th and will announce its verdict tomorrow.
The Federal Constitutional Court must decide if President Horst Köhler was right to dissolve parliament in July, as requested by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder after his Social Democrats lost a vital regional election in May. (Reuters)
40 killed in Peru plane crash
LIMA: At least 40 people died when a passenger jet crashed in Peru's jungle yesterday, police said.
"Until now, there are 40 cadavers that rescue teams are pulling from the wreckage. There could be more deaths, we assume some 60 people in total, since we've rescued 20 injured people," a police officer in the town of Pucallpa told RPP radio.
The plane attempted to make an emergency landing in heavy storms, firefighters said. (Reuters)
Khodorkovsky on hunger strike
MOSCOW: Jailed Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is on hunger strike in protest at prison authorities putting his business partner in a punishment block, the billionaire said through his lawyer yesterday.
Khodorkovsky has been refusing food and water for several days in the Moscow jail cell he shares with 10 other inmates, he said in a statement read out by his lawyer. (Reuters)
Flooding in northern Alps
ZURICH: Three people died and hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes, as Switzerland and its neighbours struggled with flooding after days of torrential rainfall in the northern Alps.
As swollen alpine rivers fed waterways in neighbouring countries, rivers burst their banks in Austria and Germany yesterday and mud slides blocked roads and railway tracks. (Reuters)
Four killed in Swiss air crash
GENEVA: A light plane crashed near the Simplon mountain pass in south- central Switzerland yesterday, killing all four people on board, Swiss police said. (Reuters)
Two men in court over axe murder
LONDON: Two men appeared in a Liverpool court yesterday in connection with last month's brutal axe murder of black teenager Anthony Walker. Paul Taylor (20) and a 17-year old youth not named for legal reasons were remanded in custody until October 21st.
Five other men have been released on bail.
Walker (18), a college student, was attacked by a group of three or four people. He was killed just minutes after he had been abused while standing at a bus stop with his white girlfriend. (Reuters)
'Piano man' said to be mentally ill
LONDON: Lawyers for the mysterious "Piano Man", who turned up on a British beach four months ago, said yesterday their client was mentally ill and had not faked his symptoms. Two attorneys identified the young man, who began speaking to doctors on Friday after months of silence, as Andreas Grassl (20), from the German village of Prosdorf. (AP)
£1,380 paid for Wellington lock
LONDON: A lock of hair taken from the head of the Irish-born Duke of Wellington fetched £1,380 at auction yesterday.
The grey strands, mounted with a portrait of the Iron Duke and a copy of an original note of provenance, sparked "furious" bidding at a sale of historical ephemera in Ludlow, Shropshire. (PA)