Munich - A former German Army lieutenant confirmed he rounded up 15 to 17 Italian men in the hamlet of Falzano during the Second World War, but denied killing them, a German policeman said Monday at the ex-officer's trial in Munich.

In what may turn out to be the world's last war-crimes trial from the Second World War, the defendant faces 14 counts of murder.

The detective was describing an interview three years ago with the defendant, who is now 90, about the June 27, 1944 atrocity.

The interview was conducted at the request of an Italian military court which sentenced the defendant in absentia to life imprisonment.

Munich - Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) lost its decades-old absolute majority on Sunday as voters defected to smaller parties in a state election seen as a test of support ahead of national polls next year.

Television projections based on early returns showed a swing of nearly 18 per cent away from the sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU).

The CSU polled 42.8 per cent of the vote in its worst showing in half-a-century. The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), which governs in a grand coalition with Merkel in Berlin, polled 19 per cent, slightly less than in the last state election in 2003.

Munich - A key ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel lost its absolute majority in Bavaria as voters defected to smaller parties, according to exit polls from Sunday's state election.

Projections showed the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), polling around 43 per cent of the vote in its worst showing in half-a-century.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), which governs in a grand coalition with the CDU in Berlin, polled around 19 per cent, roughly the same as in the last state election in 2003.

Munich - Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) lost its decades-old absolute majority on Sunday as voters defected to smaller parties in a state election seen as a test of support ahead of national polls next year.

Computer projections showed a swing of more than 17 per cent away from the sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), forcing it to look for a coalition partner.

The CSU polled 43.5 per cent of the vote in its worst showing in half-a-century. The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), which governs in a grand coalition with Merkel's party in Berlin, polled 18.6 per cent, 1 per cent less than in the last state election in 2003.

Munich - People in the southern German state of Bavaria began voting Sunday in a crucial election that could see the ruling Christian Social Union (CSU) losing its absolute majority.

The Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) is facing a voter backlash in the state where it has ruled alone since 1966.

If the CSU wins fewer than half the 180 seats in the parliament in Munich, it could signal a weakening of support for the conservative camp and hurt Merkel's chances of retaining power in federal elections scheduled for September next year.

Munich - More than 20 fairgoers had to be evacuated from a roller-coaster that got stuck 30 metres above ground at Munich's Oktoberfest beer festival on Saturday.