EU launches ‘Eastern Partnership’

The European Union has launched a plan to forge close political and economic ties with six former Soviet republics in exchange for democratic reforms.

The Eastern Partnership Initiative agreed in Prague is intended to bolster stability in the region, but without the prospect of eventual EU membership.

The EU will invest 600m euros (£535m; $804m) in the project up to 2013.
Russia has accused the EU of trying to carve out a new sphere of influence in what Moscow sees as its own backyard..

Greece steps up marbles fight

Greece is stepping up its efforts to have the Parthenon marbles returned by the UK by building a museum to house them.

The ancient sculptures were removed from Greece more than 200 years ago by British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Lord Elgin.

The Greek Government has long fought to have the artefacts returned to their homeland and is still confident it will get its wish despite Britain’s consistent refusal to hand them over.

Farmer may have given swine flu to pigs

The farmer "may have exposed swine on the farm to an influenza virus," said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

"We have determined that the virus H1N1, found in these pigs, is the virus which is being tracked in the human population," he added.

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China moves to curb swine virus spread

China says it will quarantine all those who travelled on a flight from Mexico with a man suffering from swine flu, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. The 25-year-old man flew to Hong Kong via Shanghai on Thursday, and was admitted to hospital.

Beijing said it would put his fellow passengers under week-long observation. It also suspended flights from Mexico. The move came as South Korea confirmed a case of the virus, the second country in North-East Asia to do so.