Europe
Archbishop of Warsaw resigns over secret police spy scandal
Published: 08 January 2007
The Archbishop of Warsaw resigned less than an hour before a mass marking his installation, after revelations that he co-operated with Communist-era secret police plunged Poland's Roman Catholic Church into crisis.
Three die in helicopter crash
Published: 08 January 2007
Three people were killed when a helicopter crashed into the garden of a restaurant near Marseille, in southern France, yesterday. The dead were reported to have been waving off the passengers of the aircraft after dining with them.
Armed and dangerous: the winter snow guns
Published: 07 January 2007
It's deep winter, the season when smart Europeans strap their skis to the 4x4 and head for the Alps or Pyrenees to enjoy an exhilarating swoosh down the slopes - accompanied by the rumble and waste of the artificial snow machine.
France's truffle producers sniff out EU subsidy
Published: 07 January 2007
Producers of one of the most expensive foods on earth, the truffle, are campaigning for a European Union subsidy.
Chirac keen to save France from Royal
Published: 06 January 2007
Will he or won't he? France yesterday contemplated with mingled astonishment and disbelief the possibility that Jacques Chirac, at the age of 74, might rise from his political death bed and run for a third presidential term.
Poverty-hit Ukraine enjoys boom in property prices
Published: 06 January 2007
One of Europe's poorest countries, Ukraine, is enjoying an unlikely property boom that has delighted developers but left many ordinary Ukrainians out in the cold.
Britons injured in Alps coach crash
Published: 05 January 2007
Around 45 British people were caught up in a coach crash in the French Alps today, the Foreign Office said.
French solidarity forces action on homelessness
Published: 05 January 2007
The plight of France's estimated 100,000 homeless people has leapt from the bottom to the top of the country's political agenda in just two weeks.
Blessed memory: The Vatican goes Wilde
Published: 05 January 2007
Spanish bishops fear rebirth of Islamic kingdom
Published: 05 January 2007
Spain's bishops are alarmed by ambitious plans to recreate the city of Cordoba - once the heart of the ancient Islamic kingdom of al-Andalus - as a pilgrimage site for Muslims throughout Europe.
Gorbachev returns to the world stage - as columnist
Published: 05 January 2007
Fifteen years after he stood down as the last president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev is to return to the international arena as a journalist.
Nazi background of prominent Irish publisher exposed
Published: 04 January 2007
The Nazi past of Ireland's foremost educational publisher is to be highlighted in a television programme to be broadcast on the state system, RTE, this month. The programme details the record of Albert Folens, a Belgian who after fleeing to Ireland following the war built up a highly successful business producing school textbooks.
Combative Chirac tipped to run for third term
Published: 04 January 2007
There is fight in the old dog yet. President Jacques Chirac, 74, made a scarcely veiled attack on his would-be successor, Nicolas Sarkozy, yesterday in his traditional new year speech to the government.
Belarus criticises Russia over gas price rise
Published: 04 January 2007
Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian President, hit out at Russian leaders yesterday over gas price increases, calling the move "shameless" and threatening to charge Moscow for military facilities and oil transit across his country.
French fashion victim: Battle for the boulevard
Published: 04 January 2007
Irish becomes the 23rd official language of EU
Published: 03 January 2007
The Irish language has been given official status in Europe, taking its place as the 23rd language of the European Union. The move yesterday received curiously little attention in the Republic of Ireland, given that the language has at times been regarded as a semi-mystical part of the national identity.
George Michael paid £1.5m by oligarch for one-hour show
Published: 03 January 2007
A turbulent year involving widespread derision for drug use ended on a sweet note for the singer George Michael after he was paid £1.5m to perform a one-hour show at a Russian billionaire's New Year's Eve party.
Vatican plans punk version of Divine Comedy
Published: 03 January 2007
The Vatican has challenged purist Roman Catholics by disclosing plans for a daring rock, punk and jazz opera version of Dante's Divine Comedy with a soundtrack written by an avant-garde priest.
French turn noses up at the circus
Published: 03 January 2007
The "traditional" French touring circus is under threat, owners fear. More than 100 small circuses have ceased operations because they are no longer welcome in town centres and because people object to the noise and the smell of the animals, said Gilbert Edelstein, president of the national circus federation.
Beckett says Bulgaria and Romania good for EU
Published: 02 January 2007
Margaret Beckett has hailed yesterday's entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the European Union as good for Britain and Europe.
Celebrations as Romania and Bulgaria join EU
Published: 01 January 2007
Blue-and-gold EU flags fluttered and fireworks thundered in Romania and Bulgaria at the stroke of midnight, as the two Balkan nations became the latest countries to join the European Union
Thousands protest at Eta airport bomb attack
Published: 01 January 2007
Protesters demonstrated throughout Spain against Eta's car-bomb attack at Madrid airport on Saturday that injured 26 people, left two missing and shattered a ceasefire called by the Basque separatists nine months ago.
Russia and Belarus reach gas deal
Published: 01 January 2007
Russia and Belarus announced a last-ditch deal on gas prices, minutes before Moscow was to start cutting off supplies with potential knock-on disruption for customers in Europe.
Disgraced former minister Lord Lambton dies
Published: 01 January 2007
The former defence minister Lord Lambton, who resigned after he was photographed smoking cannabis in bed with two prostitutes, has died aged 84 at his Italian home.
Turkey has double New Year's Eve celebration
Published: 01 January 2007
Turkey had two particularly strong reasons to celebrate the arrival of 2007 on Sunday evening thanks to a chance meeting of the Islamic and Gregorian calendars, which only occurs once every 64 years.
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