GERMANY: ‘War on Terror’ Divides Government

National policy on the 'war on terror' is dividing the German coalition government, with some right-wing Christian Democrat leaders urging radical measures such as the right to shoot down commercial aircraft hijacked by terrorists, and the Social Democrats vigorously rejecting such proposals.

RUSSIA: U.S. Report on Rights Challenged

Russian authorities and analysts have hit back at the latest U.S. State Department report on religious freedom, non-profitable organisations and democracy. The report 'International Religious Freedom 2007' was released Sep. 14 by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour of the State Department.

ENVIRONMENT: Algae Against Climate Change?

Research into the use of algae to capture carbon dioxide from the air is changing the negative reputation of these organisms, often seen as a plague associated with agricultural fertiliser run-off.

Q&A: ‘I Hate Politics and Intellectuals’

Croatian writer and journalist Slavenka Drakulic is preparing to launch the German edition of her latest novel, Frida, in November, in Berlin. In the meantime, she attended last week the 20th meeting of Eurozine (European Meeting of Cultural Journals) in Sibiu, Romania, the European city of culture for 2007.

BALKANS: Serbia Leans Towards a Russian Hug

Visitors to Montenegro are welcomed by billboards in Russian, because so many Russians have bought property in this tiny Adriatic country. Many Serbs think similar signs might now appear at Belgrade airport.

POLAND: ‘Fight against Corruption’ Leads to Early Vote

As Poland prepares for early elections Oct. 21, the corruption scandal that brought down the government still poses serious questions on the state of the country's democracy.

UKRAINE: Divided as Ever as Elections Approach

Ukraine is again heading for parliamentary elections after months of power infighting.

GREECE: Disputes Return After the Election Intermission

As he headed for re-election Sep. 16, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis addressed the nation saying that "the centre right New Democracy's (ND) victory is a clear message to move on with urgent reforms."

ENERGY-SWEDEN: Wood Cellulose – Alternative to Brazilian Ethanol?

The world’s car makers are racing each other to produce powerful new models that run on ethanol-based fuels for the booming Swedish market.

EUROPE: Slovaks and Hungarians Clash over Xenophobia

The case of an ethnic Hungarian student who claims to have been attacked by Slovak xenophobes has come to symbolise the persistent clashes that strain relations between two of the EU (European Union)'s most unfriendly neighbours.

HEALTH-ROMANIA: Few Listen to the Deaf

Three million of Romania's 21 million people suffer from different types of hearing impairment. But only about 10 percent of them get proper help.

FRANCE: Two Years After Riots, Little Has Changed

The community in this Paris suburb is waiting keenly for transformation promised by France' new government.

CORRUPTION-RUSSIA: A Fight Easier Declared Than Won

A few days after his appointment as new Prime Minister, Viktor Zubkov promised to tackle Russia's biggest problem: corruption. But analysts have their doubts how far he can succeed given that corruption has permeated from the top to the lowest positions.

BALKANS: Hot Summer Takes Its Toll

As rain falls and autumn approaches, countries across the Balkans are taking stock of the damage caused by one of the hottest summers in recent times, with temperatures in the 40s since mid-June until the beginning of September.

ICELAND: Hydropower Scheme Generates Heat

Controversy is building up over a proposal to erect a set of three hydroelectric power plants and their associated dams in the lower Thjorsa river in South Iceland.

ROMANIA: GM Crops Unearthed, But Not Uprooted

Greenpeace has launched a major attack against production and marketing of genetically modified cereals in Romania.

ALBANIA: A Few Greeks Discover Their Neighbour

Some years ago most Greeks knew Albania only as an unknown frontier. It was a country from which impoverished migrants crossed into Greece in search of a job and a better life; a place that people were leaving, where nobody wanted to go.

RUSSIA: Putin May Be Preparing Only a Political Sabbatical

The appointment of obscure politician Viktor Zubkov as new Prime Minister by President Vladimir Putin raises critical questions about the political successor to the presidency.

FRANCE: Sarkozy Hedges Free Market With Gov’t Control

Following nearly two years of squabbling, this month France’s national gas utility, Gaz de France, finally agreed to team up with the Franco-Belgian utility Suez, to create an energy behemoth with some 72 billion euros in revenue.

POLITICS-RUSSIA: Ahead of Presidential Polls Putin Gains Free Hand

It happened eight years ago when former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin ousted his cabinet and unexpectedly catapulted little known Vladimir Putin to the helm of political affairs.

BALKANS: Before EU Entry, Serbia Faces Return of Citizens

Serbia is finalising the procedure for signing the strategically important Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU) as soon as possible, but several obstacles are still in the way.