POLICE blew up suspicious-looking packages, took up positions on virtually every street corner and made sweeping passes with helicopters over downtown Vienna yesterday as Austria prepared for its first visit by a US president in 27 years.

EU leaders today put aside questions over what to do with their embattled constitution for at least two more years, opting instead to focus on promoting Europe to their citizens by pressing ahead with economic reforms and a common immigration policy.

Italian premier Romano Prodi made his first European tour this week, sending his partners what he hopes would be considered a reassuring message – that the Silvio Berlusconi era is over.

TURKEY’S membership negotiations with the EU are back on track, after EU foreign ministers resolved a stand-off with Cyprus over Ankara’s relationship with the divided island.

Turkey was set to conclude the first round of membership negotiations with the European Union today, after EU foreign ministers resolved a stand-off with Cyprus over Ankara’s relationship with the divided island.

AUSTRIAN Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel believes a continent-wide referendum on the EU constitution could be used to resolve the impasse over the charter, according to a newspaper interview published yesterday.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel believes a continent-wide referendum on the European Union constitution could be used to resolve the impasse over the charter, according to a newspaper interview released today.

The European Union edged closer to a seven-year budget after negotiators backed down from demanding an €11.4bn increase, breaking a four-month deadlock.

European Union leaders today welcomed the announcement of a cease-fire by the Basque separatist group Eta, but did not immediately indicate if the group might be removed from the EU’s terrorist blacklist.

European Union leaders were set to clash over crafting a joint energy policy at their two-day summit talks tomorrow, amid protectionist sniping over the shielding of national energy companies from takeovers.

German and foreign dignitaries attended a state funeral today for former President Johannes Rau, who died more than a week ago aged 75.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, who holds the EU presidency, today said Monday it would be difficult to resurrect the bloc’s embattled European Constitution.

Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer and former Nazi who fled a British prisoner of war camp in India for the northern Himalayas, where he befriended and tutored the Dalai Lama, died today. He was 93.

The German government today urged Russia and Ukraine to compromise quickly in order to resolve their dispute over natural gas deliveries.

Austria assumed the presidency of the European Union today with a pledge to make the 25-nation bloc “more tangible to our citizens”.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's refusal to grant former gang leader Stanley 'Tookie' Williams clemency has sparked outrage in his native Austria.

THE execution of Stanley Tookie Williams yesterday outraged many in Europe and the US who regard the practice as barbaric.

California’s execution of a murderer this morning outraged many in Europe who regard the practice as barbaric, and feelings ran particularly deep in state Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s native Austria.

Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel says he’s “proud” of the tough position Austria staked out in crisis talks on the launch of negotiations with Turkey to join the European Union.

Diplomats, activists and political leaders were among hundreds who gathered today to bid farewell to Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and to honour his decades-long pursuit of the Second World War’s most heinous criminals.

Flood victims waded into their homes to shovel out mud and clean-up crews cleared the debris from streets after heavy rains deluged central and southern Europe, killing 34 people.

Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to Turkey early today to a hero’s welcome, as hundreds of supporters waved Turkish and European Union flags at the airport to celebrate a historic agreement to start EU membership talks next year.

President Thomas Klestil of Austria has died a day after being airlifted to hospital suffering heart failure, a spokeswoman for Vienna’s General Hospital said.

The Taoiseach begins the third leg of his pre-European Council Tour of capitals this morning.

European corporate tax harmonisation makes sense but will take a long time, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said on Thursday, adding his voice to German calls for the issue to be addressed as the EU expands.

Tens of thousands gathered at the largest Orthodox Church in the Balkans today to mourn Serbia’s slain pro-Western prime minister, as a massive manhunt for his assassins continued.

A DAY after his far-right Freedom Party suffered a crushing defeat in Austria’s general election, Joerg Haider said yesterdayhe was planning to step down as governor of Carinthia province, hinting he would leave the political scene altogether.

A day after his far-right Freedom Party suffered a crushing defeat in Austria’s general election, Joerg Haider said he was planning to step down as governor of Carinthia province, hinting he would leave the political scene altogether.

Right-winger Joerg Haider's Freedom Party stands a good chance of renewing its government coalition with the conservatives.

THE conservative party of Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel surged to emerge strongest in Austria’s general elections yesterday, according to preliminary results that showed right-winger Joerg Haider’s party took a pounding.

The conservative party of Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel surged to emerge strongest from general elections in Austria today, according to preliminary results that showed a pounding at the polls for the party of right-wing Joerg Haider.

Austrians chose from a handful of parties in parliamentary elections today after a lacklustre campaign focused largely on who would pick up the disaffected voters of right-wing Joerg Haider, whose popularity has plummeted in recent months.

CHANCELLOR Wolfgang Schuessel yesterday called for early elections to end a government crisis triggered by the resignation of four key leaders of the rightist Freedom Party, the junior partner in his coalition.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel today called for early elections after resignations left a coalition partner, the far fight Freedom party, in disarray

Austrian Vice-Chancellor Susanne Riess-Passer and two other Freedom Party ministers have resigned from their government posts tonight

Austria's far-right Freedom Party has withdrawn its call for early elections.

Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen today deplored the exclusion of smaller EU nations from a summit called by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and said they will protest at such separate meetings.