Geneva, Jan. 19 : The Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at U. S. President George W. Bush during the latter''s surprise visit to Baghdad last month, will seek political asylum in Switzerland, his Geneva-based lawyer has said.

According to a foreign news agency report, lawyer Mauro Poggia says Muntadhar al-Zeidi''s life is in danger in Iraq.

Al-Zeidi is currently in an Iraqi jail awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a foreign leader for his December 14 shoe-throwing incident at a news conference in Baghdad.

Wengen, Switzerland  - Austria's Manfred Pranger claimed victory in the men's slalom in Wengen Sunday while France's Jean- Baptiste Grange came home sixth to retain his lead in the discipline's World Cup standings.

Pranger registered a winning time of 1 minute 40.36 seconds for his two runs, finishing 34 hundredths ahead of compatriot Reinfried Herbst with Croatia's Ivica Kostelic third in 1:40.75 minutes.

France's Grange continues to lead the slalom standings with 349 points after five of 10 events, followed by Kostelic on 305 and Pranger on 219 points.

Wengen, Switzerland - Didier Defago gave Swiss fans a home victory in alpine skiing's downhill classic at Wengen on Saturday.

Defago edged Bode Miller by 0.20 seconds to prevent the American winning a hat-trick of World Cup victories on the spectacular 4.445-kilometre-long Lauberhorn course.

It was only a second career World Cup victory for 31-year-old Defago, whose single previous win was in a super-G in December 2002.

Defago posted 2 minutes 31.98 seconds in perfect sunny weather on the World Cup's longest downhill run, with Miller followed on the podium by fellow American Marco Sullivan, 0.39 seconds behind the winner.

Wengen, Switzerland - Carlo Janka gave hosts Switzerland a perfect start into the Lauberhorn ski race weekend on Friday when he won a super-combined World Cup event.

Janka, 22, placed second in the morning's downhill portion and a good slalom run earned him a second career win in a combined total 2 minutes 34.16 minutes.

Peter Fill of Italy trailed by 0.22 seconds in second place with 2:34.38 and Silvain Zurbriggen added more joy for the home fans with third place in 2:34.56 minutes.

"I couldn't expect this. The slalom went very well. The fans really helped me," said Janka.

Lugano, Switzerland - Six people have been arrested in Switzerland and Brazil accused of running human-trafficking ring, police said on Thursday.

Wengen, Switzerland  - Swedish skier Markus Larsson suffered a concussion and facial injuries on Wednesday when he crashed during the first training for the Lauberhorn World Cup downhill ski races.

Race spokesman Hugo Steinegger said that Larsson, 30, briefly lost consciousness when he crashed in the final section of the downhill course. He was taken to a hospital in Interlaken by helicopter.