Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of a leading German bishop who is being investigated over allegations of physically abusing minors and financial misconduct, the Vatican said today.

THE bishop of the Flemish city of Bruges has resigned after admitting sexually abusing a young boy several years ago, the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium announced yesterday.

A leading conservative Roman Catholic bishop in Germany has written to Pope Benedict XVI offering to resign amid persistent allegations of physical abuse and financial misconduct, the Augsburg diocese said today.

German defence minister Franz Josef Jung today said that six suspects were under investigation in the scandal over pictures of German soldiers posing with a skull in Afghanistan.