Galway has been given a major tourism boost ahead of its stint as European Capital of Culture as it beat the likes of Dubai and Vancouver to be named as a must-visit city next year by travel bible Lonely Planet.

US defence chiefs have quietly dropped one of the more unusual features of the Bush administration, a Bible quotation on the cover of daily intelligence reports sent to the White House.

Dublin has pipped English capital London to be named as the best place in Europe to play poker.