Brussels - For over 200 years, the Trappist monks of Belgium's Westmalle abbey have preserved their order through war, fire and revolution.

Now the abbey's famous Benedictine brewing monks are facing a new and unexpected challenge: commercial success.

The beer they brew within the abbey's walls has become so popular that they cannot keep up with demand - forcing them to choose between the Rule of St Benedict and the iron rules of supply and demand.

"Given the ever-increasing demand, should the Trappist abbey of Westmalle give in to growing market pressure and intensify its production?" a statement from the Abbey asked.

Brussels  - Georgia's conflict with Russia in its breakaway regions should not prevent the country from moving towards NATO membership, the United States ambassador to NATO said Wednesday.

"If Russia continues to keep these conflicts frozen (unresolved), and continues to prevent Georgia from fully exercising its territorial integrity ... should Georgia be disallowed when it comes to being invited to join NATO just because of that?" US Ambassador Kurt Volker said.

"We can't give Russia that veto over Georgia's aspirations," he said in an exclusive interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The ambassador, however, stressed that any decision on Georgia's membership aspirations should be a joint NATO decision.

Brussels - The European Commission is investigating whether Ryanair's decision to cancel thousands of tickets bought through third-party websites breaches EU rules on air passenger rights.

"I can confirm that we have sent a letter" asking Ryanair to provide additional information, Fabio Pirotta, the EU's transport commission spokesman, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Wednesday.

The Irish low-cost carrier recently announced that all bookings made on non-Ryanair websites after August 11 would not be honoured, and that passengers would be refunded.

Brussels - NATO and the European Union strongly condemned Tuesday's suicide bomb attack against a police academy in Algeria that left at least 43 people dead.

In a statement, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said there could be no justification for such a "heinous act." The NATO chief said the alliance would continue to cooperate with Algeria in "the fight against the scourge of terrorism."

The EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said she was "profoundly shocked" by the bombing.

Brussels - The European Commission on Monday threatened to freeze its non-humanitarian aid to Mauritania following the recent appointment of a new prime minister by the country's military junta.

In a statement, the EU's executive in charge of development and humanitarian aid, Louis Michel, said the appointment of Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, a former ambassador to the EU in Brussels, was "regrettable."

The commission views the junta's coup of August 6 as a violation of the country's commitments with the EU to respect human rights, uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.

Brussels - The European Union's executive body on Wednesday condemned as "appalling" the bomb attack in the Lebanese town of Tripoli which killed at least 17 people.

"I strongly condemn the bomb attack in Lebanon this morning, which caused numerous casualties - both civilian and military - in the city centre of Tripoli," EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero- Waldner said in a statement.

"The perpetrators of this appalling terrorist crime must be pursued and brought to justice.

"I express my sincere condolences to the families of those killed and injured at this time of loss.