FINALLY their wait is over. On Saturday, before a small crowd in a remote village in northern Italy, Ulster claimed a place in the Heineken Cup knockout stages for the first time in 12 years with a 43-6 win over Aironi.

The Basque separatist group Eta today claimed responsibility for a powerful car bombing that killed two people, but insisted a “permanent” ceasefire it called in March remained in force and said the fatalities were unintentional.

Spanish politicians tonight greeted the IRA’s announcement that it was laying down arms and expressed hope that the move would encourage the armed Basque group Eta to do likewise.