POLITICS: Europe Missed Chance to Protect Environment, Say Conservationists

A group of leading European environmental organisations has declared last week's European Union (EU) summit in Nice, France "a failure for the environment".

ENVIRONMENT: Concern Over Slow Pace Of Progress in Combating Desertification

One hundred and thirty-two developing countries constituting the Group of 77 (G77) and China have expressed concern over the slow pace of progress in combating desertification world-wide.

ENVIRONMENT: Yet Another U.N. Conference To Halt Desertification

Drought and desertification - resulting from global climate change and human activities - are threatening the livelihoods of more than 1.2 billion people in 110 countries.

POLITICS-EU: A Summit Plagued by Conflicts of Interest

The heads of state and government of the 15 European Union (EU) member states will attempt at their Thursday through Sunday summit in this city on the French Riviera to hash out an agreement on reforms of the bloc's institutions, with a view to enlargement.

POLITICS: Norway Faces Tough Stint As Security Council Member

Norway cheers after having won one of the non- permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council.

POLITICS-YUGOSLAVIA: Can Milosevic’s Socialists Survive?

The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), headed by former Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic, held a special congress over the weekend, dedicated to the future role of the once longest ruling party in this part of Europe.

HEALTH/AGRICULTURE-SPAIN: Mad Cow Disease Brings Enormous Losses

Spanish stockbreeders are suffering major losses due to the appearance of "mad cow" disease. On top of a plunge in domestic consumption, Poland banned imports of beef from Spain Monday.

DEVELOPMENT: New Report Stresses Need For Reform of Security Sector

Technical co-operation between industrial and = developing countries should be widened to include measures to strengthen = the security sector, says a new study conducted by a German think- tank.

POLITICS-ROMANIA: Romania Set To Shift Left in Next Election

Less than a week before a crucial general elections in Romania, eastern Europe's economic laggard, local voters want to turn back the clock.

ENVIRONMENT: Raising Awareness About Dangers of Climate Change

Dramatic actions such as ramming a cream cake into the face of the chief United States negotiator, Frank Loy, on Wednesday, are better cut out to make headlines.

POLITICS-SPAIN: Against all Bets, King Has Changed the Country

The 25-year reign of Juan Carlos of Bourbon has changed Spain, giving the lie to all predictions. The monarch is credited with making the coexistence of democracy and liberty possible following four decades of dictatorship under Francisco Franco.

DEVELOPMENT: Debt Arbitration Called For

As the first year of the millennium draws to an end one prominent issue that is likely to capture great deal of attention is whether poor indebted countries have been relieved of their debt overhangan issue that was at the centre of a global campaign effort.

POLITICS-YUGOSLAVIA: Serb Women Look to New Government For Better Life

New Yugoslav president Vojislav Kostunica owes a large part of his victory in the Sep. 26 elections to women voters. Now these voters are hoping he will return the favour.

HEALTH/AGRICULTURE-FRANCE: BSE Scare Leads to Surge in Natural Fodder

The latest cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the fatal manifestation of "mad cow" disease in humans, has led to a wholesale return to natural animal feed for livestock in France.

RUSSIAN: Mir Space Station To Be Allowed to Re-enter Earth’s Atmosphere

The Russian government decided Thursday to retire the Mir space station next February by bringing it back to Earth where they hope most of it will burn up in the atmosphere and the remainder will plunge harmlessly into the Pacific Ocean.

ENVIRONMENT: Global Climate Deal Still Far Away

As the sixth United Nations conference on global climate change wraps up the first week, environmental officials from some 170 countries are still far from closing a deal.

ENVIRONMENT-EU: Greenpeace Welcomes Parliament’s Safeguards for Renewable Energy

The environmental pressure group Greenpeace International has welcomed the European Parliament's vote for legally binding national minimum targets in a directive on renewable energy. The directive also excluded waste incineration from the definition of renewable energy sources, another move Greenpeace has applauded.

POLITICS: European Parliament’s Reference to Armenian ‘Genocide’ Angers Turkey

A call by the European Parliament for Ankara to recognise the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide is expected to cast a pall over a meeting of European Union-Turkish parliamentarians in Antalya next week, say politicians here.

POLITICS-YUGOSLAVIA: Kostunica Asks Europe’s Help to Build Democracy

Vojislav Kostunica, the first democratically elected president of Yugoslavia, in an official visit to the European Parliament here Wednesday spoke with passion of 'mistakes' by all parties in the war, but said the need to move ahead with the democratic process should take precedence over confronting the past.

POLITICS-RUSSIA: Kurds Seek Backing From Moscow

Despite setbacks in recent past, the Kurds still hope to get a measure of support from Russia, but analysts argue that the Kremlin will not involve itself in Kurdish struggles any time soon.

ENVIRONMENT: Technology Transfer Crucial To Tackle Climate Change

Official development assistance continues to be significant for the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to the developing countries, according to a new report.