BALKANS: Mixed Marriages On Rise Again

Bozana Savicki (26), a Serb from Belgrade is about to marry Igor Dumic (28) from Zagreb in Croatia. They met at the Croatian coast last summer.

SPORTS: Green Goals for World Cup Nets

With its Green Goal programme, the organisers of the 2006 Football World Cup aim to reduce the environmental impact of the international sports tournament that is expected to draw more than three million spectators in Germany beginning Jun. 9. But environmental groups say the efforts will come up short.

BALKANS: Serbia and Montenegro Head for ‘Velvet Divorce’

"I expected this to be a happy day for Serbs, because we have become an independent state too, but this looks so gloomy," Stojan Misic (55) told IPS in front of the Serbian parliament building Monday.

ENVIRONMENT DAY-PORTUGAL: One-Way Trip to Disaster

Portugal is facing catastrophe as it heads down a path marked by rising emissions of greenhouse gases, wasteful use of water, unbridled construction activity and coastal erosion, environmentalists warn.

ENVIRONMENT DAY-EUROPE: The Awkward Return of the Brown Bear

Many residents of the Pyrenees, especially shepherds, are afraid of a hungry giant that stands more than two metres tall, weighs up to 200 kilograms, multiplies relatively rapidly and doesn't respect international borders.

RUSSIA: Corruption Admitted, Not Ended

Corruption is not new, but President Vladimir Putin admitting it is. Eradication, however, is still some way off.

EUROPE: Baltic States Plan Nuclear Expansion

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are starting preparations for building a new nuclear reactor to replace existing 'Chernobyl type' reactors at the Ignalina nuclear power plant.

RIGHTS: Children Face Expulsion, to Save French Identity

Five-year-old Mariama could be taken away from France Jun. 30. By that date all children of illegal immigrants must leave France, under an order issued October last year.

BALKANS: This New Nation Will Remain an Infant

Montenegro became the first new state of Europe in the 21st century after a majority voted in a referendum to break away from Serbia.

SPORT: Safety Becomes the First Goal

With the World Cup less than three weeks away, the German government continues to insist the country is "one of the safest places in the world" despite warnings from officials that foreigners - especially black people - run the risk of being racially assaulted in some eastern areas.

RIGHTS-EUROPE: Cracking Down on Corporal Punishment of Children

Zero tolerance for the use of physical punishment against children and all forms of domestic violence was the policy consensus reached when the Council of Europe (CE) turned its attention to family matters in Lisbon this week.

BALKANS: No Place for the ‘White Muslims’

The Bosnian nationality of many non-European Muslims who came here during the 1992-95 war is being discreetly revoked.

MIGRATION-SPAIN: High Technology Against Canoes and Fishing Boats

In order to stem the unceasing influx of migrants, the Spanish government announced Monday that it will make use of high technology - including a new satellite - , step up naval and air force surveillance, and deport people immediately if they arrive without visas.

CULTURE-ITALY: Eco-Fashions Find a Place in Shop Windows

Respect for the environment, use of naturally produced fibres and dyes, and recycling of clothing and used objects are the pillars of ecological fashion, which, little by little, seems to be winning over consumers as well as designers in Italy.

ENVIRONMENT-EU: Carbon Trading Scheme Challenged

European Union governments are abusing the bloc's emissions trading scheme by allowing their industries to produce as much carbon dioxide as they wish at no cost, environmental organisations are warning.

BALKANS: Take the Tour to the Past

Eleven years after the war ended, Bosnian capital Sarajevo still stirs the hearts of many with memories of hardship not easily forgotten.

RIGHTS: How To Be a German

After months of wrangling and soul-searching, German politicians have hammered out new guidelines on how to become a German citizen.

FRANCE: Making it Harder for Immigrants

Less than three years after passing a tough law to curb immigration, the French government has proposed another law to further restrict the rights of immigrants and asylum-seekers.

EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM: A Cocktail of Anger Erupts

A double anger erupted out of the European Social Forum on to the streets of Athens Saturday. Anti-globalisation protesters attacked police and multinational targets, alongside local groups protesting injustice to immigrants.

EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM: The Illegal Find a Legitimate Voice

For close to a million people in Greece, the European Social Forum is not a talking shop. It is the one forum that brings hope more than any other in their fight for legitimacy.

EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM: French Victory Bells Heard Around Europe

The success of French unions in turning back a proposed law on young employees is sending ripples around Europe. Other countries fighting similar proposals are finding renewed strength.