Today's other stories in brief
Appeal against giving boy name of Jihad
BERLIN - The German interior ministry is appealing against a decision by the Berlin authorities to allow an Islamist to name his son Jihad, the Arabic word used for holy war.
Reda Seyam has fought for 18 months for permission to give his sixth child the name after the registry in the Berlin district of Charlottenburg initially rejected his application, saying the name was inappropriate because of its association with terrorism and "may endanger the child".
This week a court overturned the ruling, on the grounds that Jihad was "a recognised male forename in the Arab world and loved by Muslims". - (Guardian service)
Tesco tests on unleaded petrol
LONDON - Supermarket chain Tesco says it is investigating reports from motorists whose cars had suffered problems after filling up with petrol at its forecourts.
Britain's biggest retailer said yesterday it had carried out extensive tests on current and past batches of unleaded fuel but had not discovered any abnormalities or contamination. - (Reuters)
Partial German ban on smoking
BERLIN - The German cabinet has approved a bill which would outlaw smoking in federal government buildings and on public transport after leaving it to states to work out broader restrictions in restaurants and pubs.
Health minister Ulla Schmidt and consumer affairs minister Horst Seehofer said the new law showed Germany was serious about addressing the risks of so-called passive smoking. - (Reuters)
Israeli airport security changes
JERUSALEM - An Israeli Arab legislator has won a pledge from the country's domestic security chief to change airport screening procedures that often single out Arabs for tougher inspections than their Jewish fellow travellers.
Security at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport has always been strict, but Arabs regularly complain of being subjected to ethnic "profiling" that can result in particularly intrusive questioning, extra searches of clothing or baggage and delays. - (Reuters)
Paris Hilton on new driving charge
LOS ANGELES - Celebrity heiress Paris Hilton (26) has been stopped while driving on a suspended licence and is to appear in court again, while her blue Bentley is impounded.
Police said yesterday that the socialite and reality TV star was pulled over on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, at 11pm on Tuesday for driving without headlights. - (Reuters)