Lebanon has rarely been out of the news since the 1970s but through all the years of political turmoil and refugee crises, there has always been one annual event to celebrate: the arrival of the new vintage of Chateau Musar.

Bringing sparkle and scent as well as greenery to Christmas, Kerry company Forest Produce is shipping out tens of thousands of wreaths, table decorations, and bouquets of foliage for the holiday season.

It’s got a Blue Chip tenant, it’s guiding €3.5 million — so, would you like fries with that?

Fashion chain Next is set to see annual profits overtake those of UK high street bellwether Marks & Spencer for the first time in its history after notching up a stellar Christmas sales performance.

IF television advertising is a purgatory we are forced to endure for 51 weeks of the year, the arrival of those clever Christmas adverts can often make for better viewing than many of the tired specials and movies dominating the schedules.

Passengers have had to be evacuated from a terminal at a major UK airport after a coach caught fire.

Siptu is to meet the 180 Marks and Spencer workers who will lose their jobs after the retailer announced the closure of four stores.

Each week, Esther N McCarthy scouts around for interesting bits for your home.

* COUGH RELIEF: Give gentle relief to children’s coughs with Nelson’s Sootha, a homeopathic cough syrup that contains natural Bryonia 6c, honey and lemon juice.

Each week, Esther N McCarthy scouts around for interesting bits for your home.

DERRY-based Premier Electrics has seen its sales grow from £18 million (€21.75m) in 2010 to £27m (€32.6m) in 2011.

A former Daily Star journalist claimed today that he received threats and may have had his phone hacked after he quit the paper in protest at what he claimed was its anti-Muslim propaganda.

INTERNET services giant Google has been named Ireland’s most reputable company for a second consecutive year.

IRELAND is not in great shape, according to the new chief executive of M&S.

Marks & Spencer notched up its third quarter of sales growth in a row today as the retail giant’s recovery gained momentum.

High street chain Marks and Spencer has agreed a pension funding package worth £800m (€938.85m) in a bid to close the scheme’s deficit, it was announced today.

MARKS & Spencer staff have been awarded an £80 million (€91.47m) bonus pot after bumper sales growth in the final quarter of the financial year.

Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Rose and the group’s marketing chief today offered to forgo a third of their long-term bonus awards after pressure from shareholder groups.

The FTSE 100 Index plunged nearly 5% today as banking and mining stocks fell on worries over the scale of the global downturn.

Banking and mining stocks remained volatile today as London’s FTSE 100 Index gave up all of yesterday’s surprise end-of-session rally.

A worker at Marks & Spencer who “blew the whistle” on plans to cut redundancy pay for the firm’s 70,000 staff has been suspended and is facing a disciplinary hearing, it was revealed today.

GREENCORE, the world’s biggest maker of prepared sandwiches, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately.

The head of Marks & Spencer today received a broadside from shareholders over his controversial dual role at the helm of the beleaguered retail giant.

Beleaguered Marks & Spencer was under fresh stock market pressure today amid City fears that the current consumer squeeze could wipe a third or more off profits.

FOR some time now it has been a worry that food and energy prices were getting worryingly high.

Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Rose saw his annual pay package shrink by nearly £1m (€1.25m) after the retail giant failed to hit annual performance targets, it was disclosed today.

Marks & Spencer staff are today reported to be in line to scoop bonuses of up to £1,250 (€1,827) each as the group looks to share the success of an expected 28% leap in profits.

A PLAN by Marks and Spencer to move to Kerry has become an election issue in the county.

The recovery of retail chain Marks & Spencer is expected to continue next week when the high street giant publishes its results for the first half of the year.

The recovery of Marks & Spencer is expected to continue next week when the high street giant publishes its results for the first half of the year.

Supermarket giant Tesco unveiled plans today to take on the high street by expanding its clothing range.

JUST six days ago, 172 Roches Stores staff were preparing for a new chapter in their working lives with Marks and Spencer.

Convenience foods group Uniq revealed a surge in pre-Christmas business today as it mirrored the revival of its biggest customer Marks & Spencer.

Retailer Next’s share of the childrenswear market has surged to more than double that of rival Marks & Spencer, research is expected to show this week.

Marks & Spencer today lost the services of one of the London market’s most respected businessman as a non-executive director.

One of the biggest suppliers of food to Marks & Spencer announced a sharp fall in annual profits today.

Marks & Spencer is planning a major overhaul of staff contracts and working practices to boost its recovery drive, it emerged today.

Enthusiasm for blue-chip stocks was evident in London today despite concerns over UK inflation and a disappointing start to trading on Wall Street.

Marks & Spencer shares were trading lower today after two days of speculation over bid interest involving a South African businessman came to an end.

Northern Foods today said full year profits would be £6m (€8.6m) lower than last year after poorer sales to Marks & Spencer left Christmas trading short of expectations.

Marks & Spencer today dramatically slashed its forecasts for annual profits after it was forced to make deep price cuts to clear excess Christmas stock.

MARKS & SPENCER was dealt a fresh blow yesterday when a report highlighted the growing impact of supermarkets on its childrenswear market.

Marks & Spencer was dealt a fresh blow today when a report highlighted the growing impact of supermarkets on its childrenswear market.

Northern Ireland’s largest textile company – Strabane-based Adria – today announced it was merging with the international Quantum Clothing Group.