LAUSANNE (AFP) - Istanbul, rejected yesterday by the IOC for the race to host the 2012 Olympics, hit back at the executive board’s decision. “I am deeply disappointed by this decision,” said Istanbul bid leader Yalcin Aksoy. And he accused the IOC of squandering a chance to use sport to bring peace. “In an era when so many references are made to the ‘conflict of civilizations,’ a dedicated country’s offer that could challenge the ‘conflict’ is turned down,” said Aksoy. “Of course, any form of discrimination on grounds of race, sex, politics and religion is incompatible with the Olympic Movement. “A unique opportunity offered to stage the Games... in a country with a predominantly Muslim population dedicated to secular parliamentary democracy, is turned down,” he said.

ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia, which hopes to become a candidate for EU entry this summer, said yesterday it wanted to help Serbia and other former Yugoslav republics follow in its footsteps on the road to membership. Despite Western fears that the triumph of conservatives in both nations might threaten stability in the Balkans, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and visiting Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus said they were committed to cooperation. “Croatia will become an EU candidate in June and possibly get a date for starting entry talks then. That is also important for all our neighbors. We want to encourage Serbia’s efforts on its road to the EU,” Sanader said.

Turkey’s government has come under fire from lawmakers for failing to take advantage of the mega-budget Hollywood movie “Troy,” starring Brad Pitt, to promote Turkey where the ancient city is located. Two opposition MPs have filed questions in Parliament to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his culture minister, asking why the film was not shot in Turkey and what the government was doing to secure the return of the smuggled Trojan treasures, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. (AFP)

Kosovo’s United Nations Governor Harri Holkeri intends to complete his one-year mandate which ends in August, his office said yesterday, a day after he hinted he might not stay much longer. The 67-year-old former Finnish prime minister was expected to travel to Finland later yesterday for medical checks following a brief illness last week, which sparked speculation over his future in the UN protectorate. (Reuters)

A small bomb exploded yesterday at a bakery that was moonlighting as a brothel in southern Turkey but no one was hurt, police said. Authorities had closed the bakery a week ago for soliciting, but the shop reopened after a local court ruling, a policewoman told Reuters. The shop’s windows were broken in the explosion but it suffered little other damage. “It’s still just a theory, but it appears the blast is connected to the prostitution,” another official said. (Reuters)