THERE were sighs of relief in Brussels at the news that Ireland succeeded in selling €1.5 billion of bonds as it reduced the likelihood the country would call on the EU-IMF rescue fund and stressing the euro.

GERMAN ChancellorAngela Merkel has been forced to deny she intends expelling Roma after she has been dragged into the row over France deporting Roma.

THREE Irish people have been selected to head EU embassies while another Irish candidate is widely expected to be appointed to manage the administration of the new European External Action Service.

FINANCIAL market tensions that are pushing up the cost of borrowing for countries including Ireland pose one of the main threats to growth in the EU, according to the European Commission which has just doubled its eurozone growth forecast for the year to 1.7%.

TODAY in Belgium a Catholic priest, hidden by the Oblate fathers for the past decade, will hand himself over to police after Interpol issued what is termed a “red notice”, which requests information about his whereabouts.

THE EU is battling to find a way to help Pakistan deal with the humanitarian disaster following the devastating floods last month.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan has insisted nationalised Anglo Irish Bank will not be allowed to bring down the country.

AN orderly wind-down of Anglo Irish Bank will be one of the issues Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will discuss with the European Commission today.

ROMA, gypsies, Muslims and gays promise to divert some of the attention from Europe’s see-sawing economic predicament this autumn.

IN the last few weeks the baby that brings the population of the EU to half a billion was born.