Incoming EU president Herman Van Rompuy kept a low profile as the 27-nation bloc's leaders faced flak for picking him and a little-known British peer to lead a revamped Europe on the world stage.

Incoming EU president Herman Van Rompuy kept a low profile as the 27-nation bloc's leaders faced flak for picking him and a little-known British peer to lead a revamped Europe on the world stage.

EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen has criticised informal financial pledges to General Motors by countries vying to save jobs at factories belonging to the automaker's European unit.

Austria has begun talks with Russia in view of joining Moscow's South Stream gas pipeline project, Austrian newspapers reported on Saturday.

Ireland on Saturday conceded defeat in its bid to have a controversial World Cup play-off against France replayed.

Ireland on Saturday conceded defeat in its bid to have a controversial World Cup play-off against France replayed.

Sri Lanka said Saturday it would grant free movement to the remaining war-displaced civilians held in internment camps, meeting a key demand of the international community.

Belgian ex-premier Wilfried Martens met party leaders Saturday as he began a royal commission to organise a smooth political transition after current PM Herman Van Rompuy was named as EU president.

Today is Monday, November 23, the 327th day of 2009. There are 38 days left in the year.

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo held its first elections on Sunday since declaring independence from Serbia last year, with unemployment, corruption, poor infrastructure and low investment the biggest issues for voters.

Kosovo's two coalition parties claimed victory in the country's first election since declaring independence as the election commission postponed Monday releasing complete results.

French forces say rockets hit Afghan market, apparently targeting French general. Insurgents fired two rockets Monday into a crowded market northeast of Kabul where the head of French forces in Afghanistan held a meeting with tribal elders. The attack killed three children and wounded 20 other people, the French military said.

The European Union warned Afghan President Hamid Karzai Monday that international cooperation with his insurgency-hit country hinges on good governance and his willingness to battle corruption.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened a UN food security summit on Monday calling for a "single global vision" to address the plight of the world's billion hungry people.

EU says it reaches international agreement to limit catches of threatened bluefin tuna. The EU Commission says over 45 countries who catch tuna have agreed to cut catches of the threatened Atlantic bluefin tuna next year.

The Afghan government announced on Monday that it has formed a major crime unit to tackle corruption, in a move seen as bowing to international pressure to fight endemic graft.

Eurozone consumer prices down 0.1 percent in October, fifth fall in a row. Consumer prices in the 16 countries that use the euro fell by 0.1 percent in the year to October, official figures confirmed Monday.

French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis SA said Monday it has received regulatory approval in France for Panenza, its vaccine against the swine flu virus.

Abu Dhabi's Aabar Investments and Daimler to buy majority stake in Formula 1 team Brawn GP. The Abu Dhabi investment fund with the biggest stake in automaker Daimler says it is teaming with the Mercedes-Benz manufacturer to buy a controlling stake in Formula 1 championship team Brawn GP.

An international agreement to cut bluefin tuna catches by 40 percent next year is a clear sign that the world sees the magnitude of the problem, the European Commission said on Monday.