Europe floods kill 15

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PRAGUE: Authorities say 15 people have died and at least four others are missing in the floods that have ravaged central Europe. Firefighters said more than 19,000 people have been evacuated from

the flooding in the Czech Republic. One raging flood that inundated parts of Prague is now heading north toward Germany. The dead included eight people in the Czech Republic, four in Germany, two in Austria and one in Slovakia. Authorities are now concerned about the safety of chemical plants next to the swollen rivers.

Iraq attack claims 14

BAGHDAD: Iraqi intelligence officials say gunmen have ambushed a group of travellers at a fake checkpoint in the western Anbar province, killing at least 14 people execution-style. The four officials say the travellers included several soldiers as well as residents of the overwhelmingly Shiite-dominated province of Karbala. The officials say the travellers were stopped and killed on Wednesday near the remote town of Nukhaib.

Sloven leader on trial

LJUBLJANA: Former Slovenian premier Janez Jansa was on Wednesday sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of giving and receiving backhanders in the eurozone country’s biggest-ever defence deal. Jansa, prime minister until February, was found “guilty on the charges of giving or receiving bribery or bribery promises in the acquisition of armoured vehicles” from Finnish defence firm Patria, judge Barbara Klajnsek ruled.

Rage over nude demo

TUNIS: Lawyers representing Tunisian Islamist organisations want to join the trial against three European activists accused of violating public morality for protesting topless. Two French and one German activist from the Ukrainian feminist group Femen appeared on Wednesday for trial at the same courthouse where they were arrested demonstrating for the release of Amina Sboui, a Tunisian member of the group being held over a separate protest.