Despite conceding 16 goals in their five ties up to last night, Roma’s scoreless draw against BATE Borisov ensured they nudged through to the last-16 of the Uefa Champions League.

Although delighted that the club are back in Europe for the first time since 2008, Cork City boss John Caulfield admits to mixed feelings about drawing Iceland’s KR Reykjavik in the Europa League.

GERMANY, FRANCE GOING SEPARATE WAYS?

Bulgaria’s government has resigned after days of violent protests fuelled by outrage over rising energy costs, corruption and a general economic decline.

A convicted underworld boss was shot and seriously wounded in broad daylight outside a courthouse in Bulgaria’s capital yesterday, sending panicked people on a busy downtown street scrambling for cover.

A right-wing opposition party looks to have won Bulgaria’s parliamentary election by a wide margin, and Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev conceded defeat.

SPECIALIST garda officers are to fly out to Bulgaria to examine bank accounts held by an Irish businessman arrested last week as part of the investigation into suspected IRA money laundering.

Lithuanian MPs voted President Rolandas Paksas out of office today following claims linking him to the Russian Mafia.

Lithuania was plunged into a political crisis today when judges ruled that President Rolandas Paksas violated the constitution by arranging citizenship for a businessman with alleged ties to organised crime.

BOHEMIANS manager Stephen Kenny is ready to gamble on the fitness of centre-back Colin Hawkins for tonight’s attractive UEFA Champions League first round, second leg, qualifier against BATE Borisov of Belarus at Dalymount Park (7.45).

BATE Borisov 1 Bohemians 0

Voters in Bulgaria’s parliamentary election flocked yesterday to a party led by their former king, setting the stage for the first return by a monarch to politics in ex-communist Europe.