Ireland looks set to join 20 other nations in what UK prime minister Theresa May has described as the “largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history”.

An extreme cold snap sweeping across Europe has claimed more lives, forced the closure of airports in Switzerland and France and left hundreds of drivers stranded on snow-bound roads.

More than 100,000 protesters from across Greece have converged on Athens's main square to protest against a potential Greek compromise in a dispute with neighbouring Macedonia over the former Yugoslav republic's official name.

Irish patients have to wait longer for hospital treatment than those in any other European country, a report shows.

A museum in Dublin has won a prize for innovation.

Jose Mourinho insisted he did not know why he was sent off in the final minutes of Manchester United's 1-0 victory at Southampton as he bizarrely blamed their underwhelming performance on the good weather.

We owe it to all of those who suffered under past authoritarian regimes to stand up now, writes Guy Verhofstadt

Alvaro Morata and substitute Iago Aspas each scored twice as Spain continued to cruise towards the World Cup finals with an 8-0 win over Group G whipping boys Liechtenstein in Vaduz.

The Balkans have become embroiled in a trade war over agricultural health checks after Croatia raised import fees on some farm products by around 220%, triggering countermeasures by Serbia and threats from others.

Jose Mourinho is hopeful of winning the Uefa Super Cup despite Manchester United’s absentees, the stifling Skopje heat, and Real Madrid’s quality.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in Real Madrid's squad for the UEFA Super Cup clash with Manchester United.

Romelu Lukaku could not turn down the chance to join Manchester United after hearing Jose Mourinho’s plan to “rebuild the club”.

Jose Mourinho insists Manchester United's hectic-looking pre-season schedule will help rather than hinder, going as far to say as their American tour is "perfect".

The third round draw is in…

If you want to rub shoulders with the Pope, hobnob with high-powered diplomats and make a Baywatch star a countess, then there’s only one thing to do, pretend you are a prince of a Balkan country, writes Conall Ó Fátharta.

Good Luck Brendan ... you're gonna need it!

Day 2 of the Cork International Choral Festival features Grammy-winning The Swingles in the Gala Concert, but Thursday's events have plenty more to offer as well. Check out some of the highlights here. 

Cork will come alive with the sound of music next week as 5,000 singers arrive from all over the world for the annual International Choral Festival.

Police in Kosovo have said officers prevented simultaneous attacks by the Islamic State group, including on the Israeli national soccer team that played in neighbouring Albania.

Last Wednesday night, assistant manager Jay Larranaga sat on the bench to watch his Boston Celtics beat the New Jersey Nets by three points in an NBA season-opener.

I’M just on my way home from the Slow Food Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre in Turin. It’s a biennial event that kicks off on Friday and finishes on Monday evening. 

Irish marble’s purpose is being reinvented with the home in mind, writes Carol O’Callaghan. 

Despite a much-improved display, Shamrock Rovers bowed out of the Europa League in Rovaniemi last night. 

Ana Palacio looks at possible solutions to the European Union’s so-called refugee crisis and asks what is the best way forward to ensure xenophobic attitudes do not thrive

Mick McCarthy insists the unresolved issue of Martin O’Neill’s contract will have no impact whatsoever on either the manager’s or the players’ performances at the Euros.

After first opening the doors of Germany to migrants in need of help, pressure from within and across the rest of Europe has forced Angela Merkel into an uneasy agreement with Turkey. Despite the fact that it seems to be working, it may damage her legacy, says Leonid Bershidsky

Hundreds of migrants stranded at a makeshift Greek camp protested near the border with Macedonia yesterday, demanding the border be opened as they clung to hopes of making it into Europe.

Greece said yesterday it would speed up the creation of reception centres for up to 30,000 refugees to help cope with a sharp rise in numbers because of border closures in the Balkans that cut off the main migration route to wealthy western Europe.

Refugees and migrants in Greece have staged protests at the country's border with Macedonia and on islands near the Turkish coast today.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

EU officials have added last- minute changes to a pact with Turkey to halt the flow of migrants into Europe in an effort to make it legally watertight, but a standoff with Cyprus could yet scupper a deal at a summit.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a nun who dedicated her life to helping the poor, will be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church at a ceremony on September 4, Pope Francis announced.

Many of Europe’s politicians are guilty of “shameful bigotry and xenophobia”, the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein told journalists in a press conference referring to the refugee crisis.