Berlin  - A US Army court martial in Germany jailed a soldier for seven months Thursday for conspiracy to murder in Iraq.

US soldiers allegedly killed four Iraqi prisoners in cold blood in March or April last year and dumped their bodies in a canal near Baghdad.

The prisoners, who were blindfolded and handcuffed, appeared to have ties to the Shiite al-Mahdi Army, according to US news reports.

Berlin  - Nazi seizures of Jewish-owned art from 1933 onwards are described in detail at a special exhibition to open Friday in the Jewish Museum in Berlin.

Organizers said Thursday that many of the confiscated paintings and other treasures had still not been recovered by the lawful heirs of the original owners.

The exhibition, which runs till January 25, comprises 15 artworks along with documents describing their seizure or forced sale, later changes of ownership down the years and ultimate restitution.

Berlin  - The US Army said Wednesday it has charged three US soldiers with murder and obstruction of justice over an incident in which four Iraqis were killed last year and their bodies dumped in a ditch near Baghdad.

The Army's multinational training command in Grafenwoehr, Germany said the murder charges were laid Tuesday against Master Sergeant John E Hatley, 40, sergeant Joseph P Mayo, 27, and Sergeant Michael P Leahy jr., 26.

Berlin - A German peacekeeping mission to Lebanon, mainly comprising naval units patrolling offshore, received renewed authorization Wednesday till December 
15, 2009.

The German parliament voted in favour of the request from Chancellor Angela Merkel's government by a margin of 451 in favour to 107 against.

The maximum authorization for the contingent, which is controlled by the UN mission UNIFIL, was reduced from 1,400 to 1,200 personnel. Military officials had said previously they did not need the larger number.

Berlin - Deu

Berlin ­ In many ways, Steinberg, a "Kleingartenkolonie" in the northern suburbs of Berlin, reflects typical Germanness: identical rectangular garden plots lined up in orderly rows, separated by identical mesh wire fences and all very neatly groomed.

Most plots are dominated by substantial wooden chalets. Senior part-time gardeners turn their heads to look at passers-by and nod at them before, reassured, turning back on their petunias and pumpkins.

Allotments like Steinberg are a familiar sight in German cities and have a long tradition.