German minister quits

It's been announced in Germany that the transport minister, Reinhard Klimmt, has resigned.

His departure follows his conviction on Monday on fraud charges.

Mr Klimmt was fined twelve thousand dollars for his part in helping channel funds from a medical charity to a local football team FC Saarbruecken of which he was president.

Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder said he'd accepted the minister's resignation to prevent the affair from damaging the governement.

The BBC Berlin correspondent says there was intense pressure on Mr Klimmt to go.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service