Brussels - The European Union's top official on qu

Brussels - The European Union is following very closely reports of a new gas row between Russia and Ukraine, officials in Brussels said Thursday, two months after an earlier dispute crippled gas supplies to the bloc.

The EU's executive, the European Commission, is "following very closely the situation in bilateral commercial relations between Ukraine and Russia, because this could have an impact on supplies to the EU," commission spokesman Ferran Tarradellas said.

Brussels - Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to meet top European Union officials next week during her first visit to Europe as US Secretary of State, diplomatic sources in Brussels said Thursday.

Officials said Clinton was expected to hold talks on March 6 with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the bloc's rotating presidency.

Brussels - The interior ministers of Italy, G

Brussels - Inmates released from the infamous Guantanamo prison camp would have to undergo security tests before being allowed into the European Union, under proposals being debated by the bloc's interior ministers Thursday.

Moreover, several ministers are expected to ask that inmates who arrive in one member state be prevented from travelling to another EU country.

Brussels  - The torrent of abuse was triggered by a pair of new shoes. Alina bought them because her best friend Alex already had the same brand of footwear. Unfortunately, this did not go at all well with Alex who was quick to vent her anger.

Alina realised this when she logged in as usual onto SchuelerVZ - a popular social Internet platform in Germany for schoolchildren and their pals.

"You rotten bitch" was the post left behind on Alina's virtual notice board and before she knew what was happening, the girl found herself on the receiving end of a tirade of hatred.