A bad-ass billionaire with a cool, gadget-laden car in need of a new sidekick — it looked like Enda Kenny’s lucky day.

Wanted Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has launched a new file-sharing website, promising users beefed-up privacy levels in a defiant move against US prosecutors who accuse him of facilitating massive online piracy.

Megaupload’s detained founder denied wrongdoing after US authorities shut down his file-sharing website, as new details emerged of a rock-star life featuring “fast cars” and “hot girls”.

NEW Zealand police raided several homes and businesses linked to the founder of Megaupload.com, a giant file-sharing site shut down by US authorities, and seized guns, millions of dollars, and nearly $5 million (€3.9m) in luxury cars, officials said.

The founder and three employees of the Megaupload file-sharing website have appeared in court in New Zealand after being arrested in police raids.

WINE hit the headlines again this week with the news that Andrew Lloyd Webber had sold part of his wine collection for more than $5.6m (€4m).

Greetings from Ireland. We are delighted your club is topping the table in the Premiership, following on from last year’s league and cup double.

WARNINGS from OPEC that the massive rush to develop biofuels as a replacement for oil could drive the cost of fuel through the roof is a further reminder that the energy question will remain a hot topic indefinitely.

DO property investors know more than the economists? It seems like a reasonable question to ask as the property market settles in for another bullish run in 2006.

MARINA Donohoe was just two months in Silicon Valley when she took two ex-Trinity College students with an idea to see a major software developer.

THE outlook for the economy remains strong but the signals globally suggest uncertainty may be on the horizon.

Internet search engine Google was today celebrating its first anniversary as a listed company with plans to raise another $4bn (€3.3bn).

AT the heart of the insider dealing action taken by Fyffes against DCC lies less than a dozen pages of financial information.

LATER this week in the Four Courts, two of the biggest names in Irish business will square off against each other.

Google shares made their much-anticipated stock debut in New York today and immediately saw their price rise 15% higher.

NOBODY likes to see interest rates going up because it raises the cost of borrowing across all fronts, including home loans.

A British-based company is selling MP3 players which can be attached to an assault rifle.

A village church is hoping its expansion plans will get a boost from an unusual source – the January sales.

Stockbroker Dolmen Butler Briscoe is to acquire the stockbroking division of rival BCP subject to regulatory approval.

Lastminute.com has announced that it has signed an e-commerce deal with AOL Europe.

US dotcoms have shed fewer jobs in August, although the number of firms closing down almost doubled.

Former dotcom workers are finding job security in an industry that shows little sign of slowing - online pornography.

A new survey says the US dotcom carnage is starting to slow.

European e-commerce is growing steadily, according to a new report.

Adobe is to develop software which can create three-dimensional, animated websites.

Securicor has launched a web shopping portal aimed at reluctant e-shoppers.

The UK Stock exchange will be kept busy next week, with a host of companies set to report results.

Internet games company BarrysWorld is to close after failing to convince investors to come up with a second round of funding.