Direct talks to try to end one of Europe’s most intractable disputes are taking place between representatives of the Serbian and Kosovan governments. The negotiations in Brussels are the first between the two sides since Kosovo unilaterally broke away from Serbia three years ago. From Belgrade, Mark Lowen reports.

Belgrade rejects the declaration of independence of its cherished southern province, but for Kosovo, its independence status is final. Now, in an effort to break the deadlock, the European Union is leading the first direct talks between the parties in Brussels,using the incentive of an eventual EU membership to goad both sides towards ahistoric compromise. Solving the Kosovo conflicts will be a long and arduous process, and while neither side will change its position on the fundamental issue of independence, success in this dialogue will go some way towards helping both Serbia and Kosovo leave their troubled past behind and move towards their goal of European integration.

Some of Brazil’s biggest former football stars have played a match in Chechnya against a team captained by the controversial Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. Mr Kadyrov scored twice in the match in Grozny,but his team lost 6-4 to a Brazilian all-star selection, including Bebeto and Romario.

French police have found 25 million dollars’worth of stolen jewellery hidden in a drain outside Paris. Detectives found 19 rings and three sets of earrings concealed in a plastic container set into a cement mould at a house outside the French capital. Investigators believe many of the items were stolen from the luxury Harry Winston boutique in Paris in a raid in 2008.