Taoiseach Brian Cowen will today address the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing.

Police were today working to identify the charred victims of a school massacre in Finland that shocked the nation and sparked calls for tighter gun laws.

The President of Finland begins a state visit to Ireland today.

The president of Finland is paying a state visit to Ireland next month, it emerged today.

GERMAN chancellor Angela Merkel tops Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most powerful women for the second year in a row, as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice slipped to fourth from second last year.

TONY Blair, a major player on the world stage for a decade, won global praise yesterday for defending Kosovo, fighting poverty in Africa and overseeing peace in Northern Ireland — but came under heavy criticism for championing the US push into Iraq.

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi’s wife aired her dirty laundry for the whole country to see when she complained about her husband in a newspaper.

FORMER Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi issued a public apology to his wife yesterday after she learned through the press of his verbal dalliance with a pretty young lawmaker.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen has ratified the European constitution, making Finland – the current EU president – the 16th country to adopt the troubled charter.

The European Union today called Israel’s attack on a UN observation post in southern Lebanon unacceptable and demanded a full investigation into the incident.

Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni was to hold talks with EU leaders in Finland today, as tensions in the Middle East increased after a deadline expired for Israel to release Palestinian prisoners.

The European Union today urged Israel to free Hamas officials, including eight Cabinet ministers and 26 politicians, and show restraint in its military campaign to force Palestinian militants to free a kidnapped Israeli soldier.

Finnish voters re-elected left-wing President Tarja Halonen for another six-year term in a close run-off against her conservative challenger.

Finns went to the polls today to vote for a president, with surveys showing incumbent Tarja Halonen’s lead shrinking towards the 50% she needs to avoid a run-off.

Seven European presidents urged Europeans to rebuild their trust in the EU and plugged the benefits of the continent’s integration in a joint opinion piece published in major newspapers across the bloc today.

FINLAND yesterday summoned the Italian ambassador to protest about comments made by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi about Finnish President Tarja Halonen.

European leaders going to tomorrow’s state funeral for victims of the Madrid train bombings will have their first opportunity to meet face-to-face the newly-elected Socialists, and perhaps get a glimmer of Spain’s future foreign policy.

Seven people died and 80 were injured after a bomb ripped through a crowded shopping mall near Helsinki.