Brussels - The European Union on Friday brought into force the latest round of UN sanctions on Iran in the dispute over its nuclear programme.

An announcement published in the EU's official journal ordered the bloc's 27 member states not to enter into new commitments for grants, financial assistance and concessional loans to the Iranian government, but to continuously monitor the dealings of their own banks with Iranian institutions, especially Bank Saderat.

It also mandated member states to inspect cargoes carried by Iran Air Cargo and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, as long as there are "reasonable grounds" for suspecting that they are carrying nuclear-related cargoes.

Helsinki - Finland, current chair of the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), expressed "serious concern" over the situation in South Ossetia in Georgia.

Chicago - European Airbus is facing the loss of a 2.2- billion-dollar contract with United Airlines amidst plunging airline revenues, the airline said Thursday.

The airlines mother company, UAL, referred to the possibility in a filing with the US stock oversight agency, the Security Exchange commission.

UAL said it was highly possible it would not uphold its order for aircraft of type A319 and A320. United Airlines would lose the 91 million dollars downpayment if it cancels the contract.

Frankfurt - The European Central Bank (ECB) is set to leave its benchmark refinancing rate on hold at 4.25 per cent Thursday, analysts predict, as it faces up to the twin economic threats of surging inflation and slumping growth.

This comes after firing off a warning shot at its meeting at the start of July to ward off resurgent inflation by lifting borrowing costs in the 15-member eurozone by 25 basis points.

But since then while signs have emerged of a pickup in inflation, the economic gloom surrounding the eurozone is starting to deepen as new grim economic numbers continue to roll in.

At 4.1 per cent, inflation in the eurozone is more than double the ECB's target of "close to, but just below 2 per cent."

Washington, Aug 5: Forget wine connoisseurs, now even you can become an expert on the drink, all thanks to a group of European researchers who have devised a handheld “electronic tongue” that tells the alcoholic beverage’s grape variety and vintage –just at the press of a button.

Designed for quality control in the field, the device is made up of six sensors which detect substances characteristic of a certain wine variety.

Components such as acid, sugar and alcohol can be measured by this detection, and from these parameters it can determine the age and variety of the wine.

Lahore, Aug. 4: European intelligence chiefs have reportedly decided to explore and understand a new strategy by al-Qaeda to recruit and deploy female militants within the European Union.

The Daily Times quoted a London Observer report as saying that these female recruits were being used for a wide range of activities, including running logistics and propaganda activities to undertaking suicide bombing missions.

A diplomatic official connected with the investigation said: “This phenomenon has not been really taken into account yet and, we need to explore and understand it. It is a new strategy by Al Qaeda.”