DAMASCUS (AP) — Greek Orthodox nuns freed after being held hostage by al-Qaida-linked Syrian rebels arrived in Damascus Monday morning, ending their four-month ordeal, Syrian state media reported.

The head of a United Nations commission of inquiry into violence in Central African Republic expressed alarm on Monday over the level of "hate propaganda" there and said he hoped to head off the prospect of a campaign of genocide. The United Nations estimates about 650,000 people have been displaced by violence within Central African Republic, while nearly 300,000 have crossed into neighboring countries. Bernard Acho Muna, who chairs the inquiry set up by the U.N. Security Council in December, said a mission would leave Geneva on Monday for Central African Republic, where it would interview Christian and Muslim victims of violence and draw up a list of suspects for eventual prosecution. He told a news briefing he hoped the investigation would signal to people making what he called "hate propaganda" that they should not embark on greater violence.

Munich (Germany) (AFP) - German football legend and boss of powerhouse club Bayern Munich Uli Hoeness went on trial Monday for evading millions of euros in taxes in a case that has captivated the sports-mad nation. Hoeness, 62, would face a possible jail term if found guilty by the court in the southern city of Munich, which has scheduled a four-day trial with a verdict expected Thursday. He is charged with evading 3.5 million euros ($4.8 million) in taxes by hiding them in a Swiss bank account, on a total amount of over 33 million euros from 2003 to 2009. Despite widespread criticism of Hoeness -- including from Chancellor Angela Merkel who voiced "disappointment" -- his initial offer to resign from Bayern Munich last May was rejected by the club's supervisory board.