POLITICS-SLOVAKIA: Nationalists Rise in Another Name

Hardline nationalist former prime minister Vladimir Meciar has been beaten in Slovakia's presidential elections by his former political ally Ivan Gasparovic in what has been widely seen as a vote for a lesser evil.

LABOUR: EU Wants Knowledge to Save Jobs

Knowledge-based industry is being given a new push in an expanding EU to counter growing unemployment.

ENVIRONMENT: 100 Whales Raise a 10 Billion Dollar Question

A 20-foot mock-up of a whale in London, a hundred grey whales off the Russian coast, and 10 billion dollars in the banks came together in a serious question raised by environmental groups Friday.

SPAIN: Zapatero Takes the Helm, Pledges to Turn Country Around

Spain's Parliament officially voted Friday to put socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at the helm of the government, a move that goes beyond a simple change of the political party in power: it could mean the economic and political transformation of the country and the relaunch of international social democracy.

POLITICS: Divided Europe Now Gets Confused

The growing anarchy in Iraq and the terror attacks in Madrid are having opposite effects across Europe. One confirms the broad European opposition to the war on Iraq, the other is encouraging an uncompromising stand against Islamic militancy.

ENVIRONMENT-PORTUGAL: New World Capital of Solar Energy

The sunny valley of Baldio das Ferrarías in southern Portugal, where the village of Ameraleja is located, is the spot that has been chosen for the construction of what is to be the world's largest solar energy plant.

POLITICS-RUSSIA: New Unease Spreads over NATO Expansion

Russian authorities are showing renewed toughness with NATO following its move eastwards earlier this month.

RELIGION: European Muslims Ask to Be Seen Differently

Several leaders among the 12 million Muslims in Europe are asking for new policies and attitudes of acceptance.

TRADE: EU Makes It Sweet for Big Companies

The EU's sugar regime is not only harming developing countries, but is costing European taxpayers more than 900 million dollars each year, according to a new report by a leading non-governmental organisation (NGO).

POLITICS: Serbia Pays for the Comfort of Accused Leaders

Fierce debate has erupted over a law adopted by the new Serbian parliament to provide financial aid to leaders accused of war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

POLITICS-EU: Further Expansion Now Being Negotiated

The EU will have ten new members from next month, and preparations are under way for membership of another two, Bulgaria and Romania.

POLITICS-EU: Anti-Terror Plans in Trouble

Anti-terrorism measures agreed by European leaders only a few weeks back have run into difficulties.

ENVIRONMENT-EU: Member States Under Fire for Illegal Logging

The European Union and its member states are not doing enough to combat illegal logging, says a report released Tuesday.

DEVELOPMENT: New Blueprint Proposed for Change

A new approach to sustainable development and "best practices" was set out at a four-day conference in Florence last week..

GLOBALISATION-FINLAND: Poor Hit in Rich Countries

Leena Nikula is a 65-year old pensioner. Her monthly pension of 1,550 dollars is just enough to pay for basic needs like food, rent and electricity.

POLITICS: EU Counts the Costs in Cyprus

The European Union has budgeted for a possible failure of the forthcoming referenda on April 24 for the reunification of Cyprus - despite heavy pressures exerted by EU states and the European Commission to persuade Cypriots to say 'yes' to the fifth plan submitted by U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan.

RIGHTS-SLOVENIA: New EU Member Says No to Minorities

People in the tiny Alpine republic of Slovenia that will become a full EU member May 1, voted overwhelmingly Sunday against restoration of basic rights to non-Slovenes.

ENVIRONMENT-EU: Plans over Emissions Remain Mostly Invisible

The European Union's commitment to reducing greenhouse gases blamed for climate change looks uncertain after only a third of the member states met the deadline for presenting plans to cut emissions.

POLITICS-EU: UN Proposal on Cyprus Welcomed

The European Union has welcomed the last-ditch UN attempt to unite Cyprus before it joins the bloc in May.

RIGHTS-EU: Anti-Semitism Report Creates Stir

A new report says anti-semitism is on the rise in five EU countries. Controversy followed immediately on who is behind the incidents against Jewish people.

POLITICS-EUROPE: NATO Gets Seven Shots in the Arm

The big moment for the seven new aspirant NATO candidates has come. But the new members' role in the defence alliance is only now being defined.