Women are less likely to need an epidural, forceps or ventouse delivery if midwives lead their care, research shows.

The helm of a naval vessel was handed from one female captain to another yesterday, marking a first in Irish Navy history.

A BRITISH student who created a website which helped people watch films and TV shows for free can be extradited to the US to face copyright infringement allegations, a court has ruled.

AN “excellent” British student wanted for alleged infringement of copyright in the US for his website, TVShack, could be jailed for up to 10 years if he were convicted in the country, his lawyer has said.

Military sightings of UFOs, an "alien abduction" in London and an unidentified aircraft shadowing a Lancaster bomber feature among thousands of close-encounter documents released by the British National Archives today.

IRELAND looks set to remain cut off from Europe for the rest of the weekend as the continuing spread of volcanic ash across northern Europe brought aviation to the biggest standstill since 9/11.

BRITAIN’S Ministry of Defence will destroy all future UFO reports it receives so it does not have to make them public, a previously secret memo reveals.

FLYING Toblerones, mysterious illnesses and silky-white substances are among hundreds of close encounters described in previously top-secret files released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday.

Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker will be given an honorary doctorate in his home city today.

A STUDENT, who was bullied at school because of her size and was once told to join a “fat club” by a classmate, was crowned young slimmer of the year yesterday.

ATTEMPTED abductions, scrambled fighter jets and flying saucers over Glastonbury are among hundreds of dramatic reports of close encounters released by the British Ministry of Defence.

A UNIQUE coating that can be painted on to hospital walls and floors is the latest weapon in the fight against super bugs such as MRSA.

Franchising has played little part in the Irish DIY sector, until now. Agribusiness Correspondent RAY RYAN reports on the man trying to mix the best of traditional hardware stores with the range and choice offered by big business.

A 19-year-old woman has died from breast cancer - thought to be the youngest victim of the disease in the UK.

The parents of a 19-year-old student thought to be one of the youngest women in Britain to die from breast cancer spoke today of the "devastating" moment their daughter lost her final battle.