Lithuania’s prosecutors are seeking a 20-year jail term for an Irish man suspected of trying to buy arms and explosives for an Irish dissident republican group.

The Baltic state of Estonia early today became the 17th European Union member to adopt the euro.

A brother of one of the men blamed for the Omagh bomb atrocity was due back in court in Lithuania today accused of running a Real IRA arms deal.

One of the alleged Omagh bombers was remanded in custody in Belfast today following a legal bid to extradite him to Lithuania to face arms smuggling charges.

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has failed in his bid to run for the Lithuanian presidency, it was revealed today.

ON THE first day of his trial for killing his film star girlfriend, French rock star Bertrand Cantat admitted he tussled with Marie Trintignant in a hotel, but insisted her death was a tragic accident.

Police were today still questioning two men about a brutal double murder in Northern Ireland.

Police in Northern Ireland have found the Mazda 626 they had been seeking in Newry in connection with the murders of two men found bludgeoned to death in deep undergrowth beside a Co Down golf course.

Officials in the former Baltic state of Lithuania have found suspected traces of anthrax in a mailbag at the US Embassy in Vilnius.