South Africa - Ireland’s chief rivals in the battle to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup - will not be permitted to bid for the event, according to their Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Cork Airport has expressed its disappointment at Czech Airlines’ decision to pull two routes before a single flight had taken off.

There are fears for the future of two key summer routes at Cork Airport which are facing the axe even before the first flights take off.

The far-right National Front has strengthened its presence in France’s grassroots politics in a second round of local elections that exit polls showed was won by ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservatives.

Embattled French President Francois Hollande is to face the media today for the first time since news of his alleged affair with a actress became public.

A minister has said the Government’s chief scientific adviser (CSA) has no role in science policy and that to claim otherwise was a “lie”.

President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party, bolstered by left-wing allies, is poised to take control of France’s lower house of parliament so he can revamp a country his partisans see as too capitalist and push to save the eurozone through growth.

Socialist Francois Hollande defeated conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy today to become France’s next president, heralding a change in how Europe tackles its debt crisis and how France flexes its military and diplomatic muscle around the world.

Voters across France have begun casting ballots in a presidential run-off election that polls suggest will see Socialist challenger Francois Hollande defeat incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy after just one term.

Francois Hollande, a mild-mannered French Socialist who wants to take better care of the jobless and the poor, is heading to a presidential run-off election against tough-on-immigration Nicolas Sarkozy in a vote that could alter Europe’s political and economic landscape.

French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen says her anti-Islam agenda has been vindicated after a French Muslim claiming ties to al-Qaida took responsibility for the country’s worst killing spree in years.

CATHOLIC primary schools could have planned extensions delayed or cancelled if there is demand for other types of schools in an area, under policy recommendations to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.

A British chef who murdered his ex-wife after she taunted him about paying child support on Facebook was facing a life sentence today.

Bosses at a company in France were today released without incident after being held hostage overnight in a dispute over plans to close their factory.

A homeless man died from a drugs overdose days after being prescribed tablets by up to three different doctors, an inquest heard today.

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI will take a step into the unknown when he leads Chelsea into the Britannia Stadium today – and he is relishing the adventure.

Celtic and their supporters’ groups have pledged their support to the Scottish Premier League clampdown on “unacceptable conduct” at grounds.

The ICC Board has unanimously approved a recommendation for Cricket South Africa to nominate an Acting President following the death of Percy Sonn last month.

The French presidential campaign entered its final phase today with a series of carefully choreographed TV and radio spots by candidates.

France’s presidential election would be too close to call if held today, according to two polls released today.

Nicolas Sarkozy, buoyed by his weekend nomination as the French right’s presidential candidate and by rifts in his rival’s camp, edged out Socialist Segolene Royal in a poll released today.

Stilian Petrov is set to give Celtic manager Gordon Strachan more problems with Bulgaria coach Hristo Stoichkov demanding the Scottish champions let him skipper his country.

President Jacques Chirac, juggling the demands of outraged students, frustrated MPs and his loyal premier, must make a key decision today on how to handle a controversial youth employment law to pull France out of crisis.

Britain had Margaret Thatcher, Germany has Angela Merkel. Could France get Segolene Royal?

The secretary of the Celtic Supporters Association has welcomed the signing of Roy Keane.

Germany has become the ninth country to approve Europe Union’s new constitution, but Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder did not stick around to celebrate after the vote: He hopped on a jet to rally voters in France.

More than 60 staff from the Child Support Agency in Belfast were going on strike today as part of demands by civil servants for more pay.

French socialists today moved into position to wrest Paris from the right in the first round of municipal elections but failed to carry the country as polls had predicted.