The death toll rose to at least 40 today as the Arctic freeze held its grip on Europe.

THE nights have been cold around here.

IRAN has claimed a successful test firing of an upgraded version of its longest-range missile which is capable of reaching Israel.

Iran today claimed a successful test firing of an upgraded version of its longest-range missile which is capable of reaching Israel.

Iran said today it had successfully tested what it called an upgraded version of its longest-range, solid-fuel missile.

Iran said it successfully test-fired a new generation of long range surface-to-surface missiles that could easily strike Israel and some parts of Europe with greater precision than earlier models.

The draw will be made for the Euro 2008 finals with the spectre of a match-fixing inquiry hanging over football.

International flights were delayed and thousands of US commuters were unable to get to work today as torrential rain flooded New York’s subways and rail lines.

“They [the Roma] are a huge social problem in Romania. That’s Romania’s problem, not Ireland’s problem. There is a front door into this country. There isn’t a back door.”

A heatwave sweeping central and south-eastern Europe has killed at least 25 people, with soaring temperatures sparking forest fires, damaging crops and prompting calls to ban horse-drawn tourist carriages.

A heatwave sweeping central and south-eastern Europe has killed at least 13 people this week, with soaring temperatures causing forest fires and damaging crops, officials said today.

Much of south-eastern Europe baked in record hot temperatures today and electricity resources were being stretched to cover heightened demand during the summer’s first major heat wave.

Bulgaria, Greece and Russia signed an agreement today for the construction of a long-awaited oil pipeline that will funnel Russian oil directly to south-eastern Europe – bypassing Turkey’s busy Bosporus strait.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from two flood-hit villages in western Romania as the waters of the River Danube hit near record levels today.

Floods threatened cities and fertile lands across Serbia, and record water levels in one of Europe’s longest rivers surged downstream toward neighbouring Romania and Bulgaria on today.

An historic bridge reduced to rubble during the Bosnian war was being reopened today, nearly 11 years after it was destroyed by Croat forces.

NERVY Fianna Fáil backbenchers were reminded yesterday of the strengths of their present leader from the unlikely source of the Tánaiste Mary Harney.