Jerusalem  - Israeli archeologists said Thursday they have found a "rare" stone seal in an ancient building being excavated near the Wailing Wall, a remnant of the Jewish Biblical Temple within the historic, walled Old City of Jerusalem.

The 1.2 centimetre by 1.4 centimetre black stone has an engraving of an archer shooting a bow and arrow. The Biblical Jewish name Habab appears next to the archer in ancient Hebrew script.

Berlin - Some 40 per cent of women and girls over 16 in Germany have been victims of physical or sexual abuse, a government official said Thursday, quoting from a study.

Handicapped, elderly women and those requiring care suffered more than others, said Marion Caspers-Merk, secretary of state at the ministry of health.

"The issue of violence is too often considered taboo," she said. "It is often underestimated as a health risk."

Brussels  - Rules designed to stop airlines from advertising deceptively cheap tickets were due to come into force on Friday across the European Union.

Jointly approved by the EU's 27 member states and by the European Parliament, the rules require airlines to include all taxes and charges in their published ticket prices.

Berlin - A festival of aviation was under way Thursday on the last day of operations of Berlin's fabled Tempelhof Airport, which was once the entry point for 2.3 million tons of airborne relief during the Berlin Airlift.

The airport opened in 1923, became an icon of 20th century design, secured West Berlin's survival and eked out its last years as a business-flier airport. It is to be replaced by a big airport in Berlin's green belt.

New Delhi  - At least 61 people were killed and 275 injured Thursday in nine bomb blasts triggered by suspected separatist and Muslim militants in India's north-eastern state of Assam, officials said.

There were nine blasts within 20 minutes, the first at 11:20 am (0550 GMT).

Three blasts took place in the state capital, Guwahati; three in Kokrajhar district; two in Barpeta district and one in Bongaigaon district, all in western Assam, a top state spokesman said.

Athens - Hundreds of Olympic Airline staff blocked one of the main runways at Athens' International Airport on Thursday during a 24-hour strike against government plans to privatise the ailing airline, forcing the cancellation of nearly 100 domestic and international flights.

Carrying black banners and shouting "never, never, never," hundreds of Olympic workers blocked one of Athens airport's two runways.

Delays were kept to a minimum as many of the flights were diverted to the second runway.