More than 200 million gallons of contaminated waste water from a fertiliser plant leaked into one of Florida's main underground sources of drinking water after a massive sinkhole opened up beneath a storage pond.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has dented EU hopes of an end to hard times for many farmers by saying Russia plans to extend its embargo on Western food products by a year and a half.

The Ukrainian woman with Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov when he was gunned down told Russia media yesterday that she did not see his killer, as conflicting reports emerged about the availability of surveillance footage showing the slaying.

I think I was born for singing. At the age of 11 I had already sung a role in the Opera House of Barcelona.

Four Irish citizens have been injured in a plane crash in Florida.

In case you missed it in the transfer deadline day madness, this actually happened.

A Russian court has bailed Greenpeace protesters from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Italy, New Zealand and Poland, the first group of foreign activists eligible for release from jail while awaiting trial over a demonstration near a Russian oil rig.

One of the jailed Greenpeace protesters has been granted bail by a Russian court, the first foreign activist eligible to be released from jail while awaiting trial over an oil rig demonstration.

US president Barack Obama has arrived in Russia for a G20 summit overshadowed by a possible confrontation with foreign leaders sceptical of his call for an international military strike against Bashar Assad’s government.

President Vladimir Putin has warned the West against taking one-sided action in Syria.

The artist whose paintings depicted Russian resident Vladimir Putin and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev in women’s underwear has fled the country.

President Barack Obama has cancelled plans to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin, a rare diplomatic snub and retribution for Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to secrets whistleblower Edward Snowden.

President Barack Obama said yesterday he was “disappointed” that Russia had granted temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

Protests in Istanbul and several other Turkish cities appear to have subsided, after days of fierce clashes following a police crackdown on a peaceful gathering.

Daniel Maclise, R.A., The Wrestling Scene in 'As You Like It' signed and dated 'D MACLISE 1854'. Image courtesy Christie's.

This Regency Carlton House Desk made 85,000 at Mealy's-Christie's sale in Mount Congreve.

Cork has been named as one of the top 10 European cities to visit.

A suicide bomber killed more than 35 people and injured scores more at Moscow’s busiest airport today.

Two women suicide bombers killed at least 38 people and wounded dozens more in rush-hour attacks on Moscow’s subway today.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is vowing to "destroy those responsible" for the Moscow metro suicide attacks.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is contacting Irish citizens in Moscow, warning them of the danger of further attacks, in the wake of two suicide bombings in the Russian capital.

Russian officials opened a terror investigation today, saying that a home-made bomb planted on the tracks of the high-speed Moscow-to-St Petersburg route caused a derailment that killed at least 26 people and injured dozens more.

Lady GaGa is toning down her image for her trip to Israel.

A bus filled with Russian tour guides crashed through a roadside barrier and tumbled down a steep ravine in Israel today killing at least 23 people.

A judge ruled today former world chess champion Garry Kasparov must serve the five-day jail sentence he received after leading a protest against President Vladimir Putin that ended in clashes with police.

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.

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s nominee for premier has voiced presidential ambitions.

Investigators from Russia's security agency today questioned opposition leader Garry Kasparov, days after massive police crackdowns on anti-government protests in Moscow and St Petersburg last weekend.

European Union officials today said they would press the issues of democratic freedoms and human rights with Russian officials at talks next week.

BERNARD DUNNE was reluctant to make any predictions other than to say that he is not going to lose this fight when he took time out to relax yesterday in advance of tomorrow night’s defence of his European Super-Bantamweight title against Yersin Jailauov at The Point.

The Merchant Brilliant ship has been detained by the International Transport Federation and won't be moving anywhere until at least Monday.

An Iranian passenger plane skidded off the runway, sparking a fire as it landed in the north-eastern city of Mashhad today, killing 29 people, Iran’s aviation chief said.

A fire raged in a 19th Century cathedral in St. Petersburg today, bringing down the main cupola on top of the stately church in Russia’s former Imperial capital.

Authorities prepared 33 bodies to be sent to Russia today as relatives continued to identify victims of the crash of a Russian passenger plane in Ukraine, which killed all 170 people on board.

Investigators today combed through the wreckage of a Russian passenger jet that crashed into a Ukrainian field during a severe thunderstorm, killing all 170 people aboard.

A Russian passenger jet with at least 170 people aboard crashed in eastern Ukraine today, and a Russian news agency cited Ukrainian emergency officials as saying there were no survivors.

Russia’s defence minister today hailed the killing of Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev as a just retribution to “our bin Laden", but said that his death did not mean an end to the fight against rebels.

Iran will respond in mid-August to the Western incentives for a rolling back of its nuclear programme, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today.

Windows were boarded up and the streets on Cedar Key in the Gulf of Mexico were desolate as the first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season started moving over Florida early today, but forecasters said they did not expect Alberto to strengthen into a hurricane.

The surviving members of legendary rock band Led Zeppelin received the prestigious Polar Music Prize from Sweden’s king today in the city where they recorded their final studio album 27 years ago.

Chancellor Gordon Brown said today that he would press fellow Group of Eight countries to boost funding for education in developing nations at their summit next month.

The bodies of two women, both killed by alligators, have been found less than a week after a similar death in Florida, a state that had seen just 17 confirmed fatal attacks by the animals in the previous 57 years.

A cargo ship sank after colliding with another vessel in Estonian waters early today, but the crew of 14 was evacuated safely to a Russian icebreaker.

The European Union has ordered restrictions on bird markets and shows and urged nations to present a program of vaccination for zoo birds as part of increased measures to head off the spread of bird flu.