LONDON - KNOWLEDGE of the Bible is in decline in Britain, with fewer than one in 20 people able to name all Ten Commandments and youngsters viewing the Christian holy book as 'old fashioned", a survey said on Sunday.

Forty per cent did not know that the tradition of exchanging Christmas presents originated from the story of the Wise Men bringing gifts for the infant Jesus, while 60 per cent could not name anything about the Good Samaritan, the Durham University study found.

LONDON - US PRESIDENT Barack Obama said he was troubled by Syria's behaviour but hoped for progress in ties with former foe Damascus, in an interview to be screened on Sunday.

Mr Obama was asked by Britain's Sky News television if he would accept an invitation to go to Damascus for face-to-face talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

LIMA - PRESIDENT Alan Garcia was preparing on Saturday to name Javier Velasquez, a party loyalist and current head of the legislature, as Peru's new prime minister.

Mr Velasquez will take over an office shaken by social conflicts and a bloody crisis in June over indigenous Indian land rights. Mr Velasquez is set to be sworn at 8.00pm (0100 GMT Sunday), replacing the embattled Yehude Simon, the office of the president said in a statement.