Hometown professional Michael Putnam hit the first shot of the 115th US Open at 7am local time yesterday and five hours and 13 minutes later was sinking the final putt of his first round for an opening level-par 70 at Chambers Bay near Tacoma, Washington.

Hometown golfer Michael Putnam is expecting a lot of noise from the Chambers Bay galleries this week if the decibel levels at Seattle Seahawks NFL games are any guide.

So, Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio says Hillary Clinton wants to take Americans "back to yesterday"?

An international footballer who dressed up as a suicide bomber for a fancy dress party has been described as “thoughtless” by a survivor of the July 7 bombings in London.

With a jury’s refusal to hold a concert promoter responsible for Michael Jackson’s death, the late singer’s mother lost perhaps her last best chance to collect millions in damages and place blame for her son’s untimely demise.

A lawyer for the producer of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” concerts has told a Los Angeles jury Jackson died because of his own bad choices, not because of anything AEG Live did.

Michael Jackson’s oldest son has described the frantic efforts to revive his father to a jury, a scene of tears and agony that ended a dozen idyllic years being raised by one of pop music’s superstars.

Michael Jackson’s oldest son has today described the frantic efforts to revive his father to a jury.

Michael Jackson’s struggle against drug addiction was put on display during opening statements at his mother’s wrongful death case against concert promoter AEG Live.

Far from forgetting about making friends in real life, online relationships can be hugely beneficial for us, writes Eoin Whelan

THREE men accused of helping to plan the 2005 London bombings have been acquitted of playing any role in the plot, a blow to investigators’ hopes of convicting anyone over the worst attack on Britain since World War II.

THE countdown to the next general election begins in earnest today with Fianna Fáil meeting to discuss strategy and Fine Gael and Labour launching their first shared policy document.

FIANNA FÁIL’S annual think-in next week will grapple with new ‘quality of life’ issues like childcare, long commuting times and the disintegration of community spirit that contributed to its two by-election losses this year as well as the Government’s falling support levels in opinion polls.

Great Britain & Ireland found themselves just behind their American counterparts after the opening foursomes session of the 40th Walker Cup at the Chicago Golf Club.

THE ripples of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s 10th anniversary interviews continue to cause little waves of coverage not only here in Ireland but even abroad.

THE board of the National Pension Reserve Fund will meet later this month to discuss the possibility of sacking two of its fund managers.

YOU quoted Harvard professor and author Robert Putnam (Irish Examiner, November 18) as saying 80% of 14-year-olds in the US have TVs in their bedrooms.