Today's other stories in brief
Turkish official escapes gun attack at office
ANKARA - The powerful chairman of Turkey's secular higher education board has escaped a suspected assassination attempt, an official said.
An unnamed man tried to forcibly enter the board's office in Ankara yesterday to see Erdogan Tezic, a well-known secularist. When he was prevented from entering, the gunman fired three shots at the security officials. - (Reuters)
Investigation into Olmert deal likely
JERUSALEM - Israel's state comptroller has recommended the attorney general's office launch a criminal investigation into a business deal Ehud Olmert conducted before becoming prime minister.
Israel's comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss, has found there was a possible conflict of interest in a multimillion- shekel deal in which Olmert was involved while minister of industry and trade in a previous government, the comptroller's office said yesterday. - (AP)
Censured for backing Royal
STRASBOURG - The European Parliament's largest political group censured Swedish commissioner Margot Wallström for backing Socialist Ségolène Royal in the French presidential elections on a commission website. - (Reuters)
Protests over Nigerian elections
ABUJA - An opposition bloc has called for Nigerians to mount peaceful protests to demand cancellation of a "sham" presidential vote of which the governing party was declared winner.
President Olusegun Obasanjo's party won by heavy margins in April 14th state elections and an April 21st presidential and parliamentary vote, both of which were deemed not credible by international and local observers. - (AP)
Banksy art work sells for £288,000
LONDON - Cult British artist Banksy set a new record yesterday when Space girl and Bird, a spray paint on steel work, fetched £288,000 (€424,000) at auction, about 20 times the estimate. Bonhams auctioneers said the previous record of £102,00, set in February, was smashed earlier in the day when Self Portrait was sold for £198,000, about five times the estimate. - (Reuters)