BERLIN (AP) – A February fire that killed nine Turks in southern Germany was probably not arson, investigators said yesterday, but they are ending their probe without determining an exact cause because they say all leads have been exhausted. Despite initial fears the blaze in Ludwigshafen could have been a far-right arson attack, investigators found no evidence of a flammable accelerant, prosecutor Lothar Liebig said in a statement. “No evidence of arson has been found in the very extensive and intensive investigation,” Liebig said. “We can almost certainly rule out arson.”

KOZARAC, Bosnia (AFP) – Some 2,000 people yesterday attended a ceremony in Bosnia ahead of the burial of the remains of 70 Muslims killed by Serb forces during the country’s 1992-1995 war. After the religious ceremony in the northwestern town of Kozarac, which was led by Bosnia’s Islamic leader Mustafa Ceric, the victims’ remains were transported for burial in and around the nearby town of Prijedor. The remains of the victims, who were aged between 15 and 83, were exhumed from mass graves in the Prijedor region after the war. They were recently identified by DNA analysis.

ISTANBUL (AP) – The leader of Turks on Cyprus says he hopes talks on possible reunification of the divided island will start in September. In a live interview on CNN-Turk television, Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said, “I think these negotiations will start in September.” Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias and Talat will meet on July 25 to assess progress in preparatory negotiations and to decide when to restart direct peace talks.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic interceded yesterday on behalf of a ship’s captain sentenced to 14 years in Greece for drug running, only to be rebuffed by his Greek counterpart. “I informed the minister about Croatia’s viewpoint on the case,” said Jandrokovic after talks with Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis in Athens. Bakoyannis told him, however, that the “Greek judiciary is independent,” and ruled out any “political intervention.” Kristo Laptalo, captain of the Coral Sea, was sentenced after 51 kilograms of cocaine were found on the cargo ship on July 13 last year during a search in the Greek port of Aigion. The vessel was carrying bananas from Ecuador to Croatia. (AFP)

One of 38 people charged in a global crime ring that allegedly stole personal information from unsuspecting Internet users pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal fraud charge. Ovidiu-Ionut Nicola-Roman of Romania pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in Bridgeport, Connecticut. More than half those charged are Romanians. Authorities accuse the defendants of stealing names, social security numbers, credit card data and other information from Internet users. Federal indictments allege the Romania-based phishing scams sought to steal from thousands of consumers and hundreds of financial institutions. Prosecutors estimate that Nicola-Roman was responsible for more than $400,000 in thefts. He faces a prison term of 46 to 57 months and possible fines and restitution payments when he is sentenced October 10. (AFP)

Two Israeli teenagers and a Turk were fatally and accidentally electrocuted at a foam party in a luxury hotel in southern Turkey, officials and the media reported yesterday. The power leak that caused the deaths occurred when the foam machine operator slid and fell, dropping the device, Mehmet Yilmaz, manager of the five-star hotel in southern Antalya province, told Anatolia news. Two of the dead were an 18-year-old Israeli tourist and her 14-year-old brother, a diplomat from the Israeli Embassy here told AFP. The third was a 20-year-old Turkish hotel employee, Anatolia reported. (AFP)