TAOISEACH Brian Cowen was battling with Germany last night to avoid having to call a new referendum to change the rules of the euro.

ST PATRICK’S day in Brussels is unavoidable.

AN Irish official in Brussels, David O’Sullivan, is being touted for the post of secretary general of the EU’s new foreign service.

NORMALLY you won’t find a boy named Sue in Sweden.

IRELAND is unusual among western democracies in its continuing fight to have the plight of the Palestinians addressed.

THE shape of the European Union’s foreign service became clearer after two days of discussions between its chief, Catherine Ashton, and the foreign ministers of the 27 member states.

Corruption and fraud can be reported anonymously through an internet system that keeps the whistleblower’s identity secret.

THE advice not to “mention the war” has been ignored by the Greeks in the past week when, with true Mediterranean passion, they have thrown caution to the wind and reminded Germany of how they suffered at their hands.

THE Irish economy will stagnate for 10 years but that is a much better prospect than if it were not a member of the eurozone, according to a leading European economist.

SENIOR management from some of the world’s top IT companies are drawing up a report for Research and Innovation Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.