One hundred prominent people in Germany have urged Iran to free two German journalists jailed in the northwestern city of Tabriz. The appeal was published by the German weekly Bild am Sonntag, which employed the two journalists. They were arrested in October as they investigated a story about a woman sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery. Iran says they entered the country on the wrong kind of visas. From Berlin, Steve Evans reports.
A string of German ministers and opposition politicians joined with sporting stars like Boris Becker and a string of business leaders like the chief executives of Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Telekom and Daimler in calling for the release of the journalists. Germany is now trying to raise publicity for the case, but the situation of the two is now complicated by the wider standoff between Iran and Western countries over any plans it may have to develop nuclear weapons.
An earthquake has struck central Chile. The quake with a magnitude of 7.2 had its epicentre just off the Pacific coast, near the city of Temuco. So far, there are no reports of damage or casualties. Last February, a much bigger quake struck the same region, killing more than 400 people and causing massive destruction.
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Floodwater has continued to rise in the Australian state of Queensland, with the city of Rockhampton near the coast the latest to be struck by surging river levels. The Fitzroy River has now swamped large parts of the city, and the main roads to the south and west have been cut off.