PROTESTERS throwing stones and bottles clashed with baton-wielding riot police yesterday in Belgrade after several thousand Serbian nationalist supporters of jailed war-crimes suspect Ratko Mladic rallied outside the parliament building to demand his release.

BOSNIAN Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic was arrested in Serbia yesterday after years on the run from international genocide charges, opening the way for the state to approach the European mainstream.

KOSOVO’S unilateral secession from Serbia in 2008 did not violate international law, the World Court said yesterday, in a decision with implications for separatist movements everywhere.

Thousands of riot police were deployed in Belgrade today preparing for a huge demonstration in support of jailed Radovan Karadzic.

Nationalists were planning a huge anti-government rally in Serbia's capital today as Radovan Karadzic's lawyer predicted the government will try to whisk the arrested war crimes suspect off to the UN tribunal before the protest.

War criminal Radovan Karadzic has spent his first days in prison getting a barber to return him to the familiar coiffured figure who once terrorised tens of thousands.

Serb demonstrators sacked the US embassy in Belgrade tonight at the end of a mass protest against Kosovo’s independence.

At least 150,000 Serbs gathered in central Belgrade today in a massive protest against Kosovo’s declaration of independence, raising fears of street violence.

Independent monitors said an ally of late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic had edged ahead of the pro-Western incumbent in Serbia’s presidential election today, but failed to win an outright majority – forcing the two into a run-off.

NATIONALIST Tomislav Nikolic won the most votes in the first round of Serbia’s presidential election on Sunday but not enough to win outright, exit polls showed, setting up a run-off with pro-western President Boris Tadic.

SENATOR John Hanafin this week became the first politician to signal an interest in standing in the European elections in two years time.

Was it euthanasia or a perfectly legal suspension of treatment?

A Rome judge today rejected a paralysed man’s request to have his life support machine switched off.

EU leaders today held open the possibility that suspended talks on an accord with Serbia leading towards EU membership may resume after parliamentary elections next month.

A Serbian far-right party was expected to re-elect a jailed UN war crimes suspect as its leader today, amid protests by Liberals who denounce the party as fascist.

AS a phrase, it ought to be a harbinger of something good, but when new PD leader Michael McDowell said “the best is yet to come”, it sounded more like a threat than a promise.

A top Serb wanted in connection with alleged atrocities in Kosovo was being handed over to the UN war crimes court today.

Danes have given prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen a second four-year term, embracing his government’s pledge to keep immigration in check and taxes, among Europe’s highest, from rising.

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was sick with flu today, forcing him to cancel appointments for the day, his office said.

ULTRA-NATIONALISTS led by a jailed war crimes suspect have won the majority of votes in Serbia’s weekend election.

Serbs had the pick today of voting Slobodan Milosevic’s allies into power and returning to international isolation or backing pro-democracy parties that ousted the authoritarian leader but later failed to live up to voters’ expectations.

Serbian presidential elections failed for the third time in a year today, triggering a major political crisis in the Balkan republic.

The Vatican launched a global campaign against gay marriages today, warning Catholic politicians that support of same-sex unions was “gravely immoral” and urging non-Catholics to join the offensive.

UNOFFICIAL political activity in Iraq is grounds for execution, and lopping off tongues is still in practice, according to a damning report released yesterday on rights abuses under the rule of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

POPE JOHN PAUL II has called on Catholics to fast on Ash Wednesday in the name of peace and yesterday repeated that he was worried a US-led war against Iraq could unsettle the entire MidEast.

A Rwandan priest who has been accused over the 1994 Rwanda genocide is ready to face his accusers.

Italy’s former European Commissioner Emma Bonino is on hunger strike in protest at what she says is unfair media coverage of the countgry’s impending general election.