THIS time it’s not the White House that’s embroiled in a sexual scandal, it’s the Elysée Palace. Location apart, there’s nothing to beat a full-dress political scandal except, that is, a full-undress one.

Chelsea qualified for the Champions League knockout stages last night despite a limp performance as they were beaten by Basle for a second time in Group E.

Basle 1 Chelsea 0

Joe Ward and Jason Quigley, are both guaranteed at least a bronze medal at the 17th AIBA World Elite Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Joe Ward could meet Russia’s Nikita Ivanov in a repeat of their European final in the last-eight of the AIBA World Elite Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Chelsea 1 Basle 1

Fifty years ago, Christine Keeler and John Profumo brought down a government and changed a nation forever. Clive Irving on the scandal that rocked Britain

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.

Reamde

FK Partizan 1 Shamrock Rovers 2 (aet) (Agg: 2-3)

Shamrock Rovers have named their team as they look to qualify for the group stages of the Europa League in Belgrade tonight (kick off: 7.30pm).

BOXING. Major championships. Gold medals.

Brazilian midfielder Ramires has returned to Chelsea’s midfield for tonight's Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.

US and Russian special forces have collaborated in raids on drugs labs in Afghanistan which destroying $250m (€181m) of heroin and morphine, a Russian news agency is quoting the country’s anti-narcotics chief as saying.

Chelsea wing-back Yury Zhirkov has been handed the midfield slot vacated by the injured Ramires against Spartak Moscow in today's Champions League Group F clash in the Luzhniki Stadium.

DUNDALK’S European run was ended by a superior Levski Sofia side at Oriel Park last night but the Louth men at least gave as good as they got over the course of the 90 minutes.

DUNDALK crashed to a humiliating defeat at the hands of an experienced and talented Levski Sofia last night.

Russia today urged US-led forces in Afghanistan to crack down harder on drug production there, and offered to help put a security "ring" round the country.

FULHAM manager Roy Hodgson is relishing the must-win match with Swiss side Basle after his team kept their Europa League hopes alive by beating CSKA Sofia last night.

Cyprus 4 Bulgaria 1

ROY HODGSON claimed last night’s 1-1 draw with CSKA Sofia has convinced him to continue resting his big names for Fulham’s Europa League campaign.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche has finished runner-up in the 14th stage of the Tour de France, 16 seconds behind Katusha’s Sergei Ivanov, with Hayden Roulston in third.

THE death toll from an explosion that levelled an apartment building in southern Ukraine reached 27 yesterday as the country observed a day of national mourning, officials said.

Rescue workers were combing through piles of concrete and glass today in an ongoing search for survivors from an apartment building explosion in southern Ukraine, but authorities said hope was waning as the death toll climbed to 27.

Russia’s home-grown satellite navigation system may not yet be fully operational, but it seems to work fine on prime minister Vladimir Putin’s dog.

GEORGIA and Bulgaria are still winless in World Cup qualifying after playing out a goalless draw which leaves both teams already struggling in Group Eight.

Bulgaria 2 Republic of Ireland 0

Russia's satellite navigation system advances further today as another three are put into orbit, and President Vladimir Putin already has plans for how to use it: to keep tabs on his black labrador.

Russia’s parliament overwhelmingly approved Viktor Zubkov as prime minister today, and President Vladimir Putin said he was among at least five people who could hope to succeed him next year.

Russia’s lower house of parliament was today set to vote on President Vladimir Putin’s nominee for prime minister, with confirmation assured in the Kremlin-controlled chamber.

TOM HUDDLESTONE and Mark Noble grabbed the goals in soggy Sofia as England Under-21s continued their perfect start to Euro 2009 qualification last night.

President Vladimir Putin today accepted the resignation of Igor Ivanov as secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

AT THE last World Cup, Portugal and the Netherlands met at the knock-out stages of the competition.

A senior Russian official said strategic and tactical missiles tested today can penetrate any missile defense system, Russian news agencies reported.

Iran says it needs time to review a plan proposed by the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency in which it will hold off on imposing sanctions if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.

Iran today said it needed time to review a plan that calls for holding off on imposing sanctions if Tehran halts uranium enrichment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to build four new nuclear reactors for energy-starved India today, cementing his country’s traditional role as India’s main nuclear benefactor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India today, hoping to use the two nations’ decades-long friendship to push for deals in civilian nuclear co-operation, military hardware and trade expansion between the booming economies.

Blackburn defender Lucas Neill remains intent on leaving Ewood Park.

Alexei Smertin could be set for a return to the Premiership after Dinamo Moscow admitted they are discussing the possibility with the former Chelsea, Portsmouth and Charlton midfielder.

A US serviceman fatally shot a civilian at the US military air base in Kyrgyzstan today “in response to a threat,” the US military said.

Russia’s top nuclear official said today that his country tightly controls all exports of polonium, the radioactive isotope that British authorities suspect killed former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.

Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov has denied that Russian security forces were involved in the poisoning death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, saying that was not in the Kremlin’s interests, according to an interview.