Earlier this week, in these pages, Paddy Heaney wrote about the Kerry football conveyor belt of talent — the headline, ‘Kingdom’s unique structure keeps them well ahead’, conveys the general spirit of the piece.

The R&B superstar is working with "exercise physiologist" Marco Borges to bring out the "plant-based home delivery meal service".

A powerful new book on the life of Derek Mahon sent Thomas McCarthy back to Mahon’s four key works, The Yaddo Letter, The Hudson Letter, The Yellow Book and Harbour Lights.

Generally regarded as one of Japan’s most important living writers, Yoko Ogawa has, over a 25-year career, produced a stellar body of work and won all of her country’s major literary honours.

Netherlands 0 Costa Rica 0 - Netherlands win on penalties

Costa Rica 0 England 0

England's dismal World Cup campaign ended in a fittingly underwhelming fashion as Roy Hodgson's men laboured to a dull goalless draw against Costa Rica.

Italy 0 Costa Rica 1

Costa Rica 3 Uruguay 1

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill's sweeping changes left his team a little "disjointed", he admitted after Friday's draw against the ten men of Costa Rica just outside Philadelphia.

At the end of last year this column took up the cudgels again in the GAA statistics battle, invoking Jorge Luis Borges in an effort to stimulate the debate.

New Ways to Kill Your Mother

Saturnina da Silva doesn’t have a name for her baby boy yet, born just 12 hours before Saturday’s parliamentary election in the tropical half-island nation.

A decade after independence and with UN mission coming to an end, East Timor goes to the polls, writes Simon Roughneen

The Ireland Women’s team crashed to defeat against Algarve Cup hosts Portugal in Faro last night.

Santos 0 Barcelona 4

The director of the International Monetary Fund's Europe programme has resigned, citing personal reasons.

THE IMF has warned the Government not to cut too much more out of the economy, while it described the country as “exemplary” for the measures taken to deal with the crisis as part of our €67bn bailout deal.

EUROPEAN policymakers criticised for failing to stem the eurozone debt crisis, face the tough task of stopping fallout from Greece’s near-bankruptcy from spreading into the world economy.

Antwerp

FOR decades, Spain and Portugal have lured poor immigrants from their former colonies.

Saints and Sinners

Ireland conclude their autumn series against Argentina today hoping to end a disappointing month with victory over their fierce rivals.

WALES’ greatest Test match kicker Neil Jenkins led the applause after Shane Williams and company did their utmost to prove running rugby is not extinct.

SCOTLAND’S World Cup run came to a disappointing end at the quarter-final stage as Argentina stuttered into a last-four date with South Africa with a scrappy victory in Paris last night.

A SECOND World Cup victory for Argentina was inevitable, and securing a bonus point by scoring four tries was an immensely satisfying return from a most difficult night at the Stade Gerland in Lyon last night.

Argentina 33 Georgia 3

France launched the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight amid huge expectancy levels in coach Bernard Laporte’s final assignment before he takes up a French ministerial post.

ARGENTINA prop Rodrigo Roncero played down the importance of his side’s 27-20 defeat to Wales on Saturday.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged soldiers to prepare for a guerrilla-style war against the United States.

Three players have been withdrawn from Argentina’s squad ahead of their autumn Tests, which begin against England on Saturday, after they suffered injuries in the same domestic fixture in France.

Three players have been withdrawn from Argentina’s squad ahead of their autumn Tests after they suffered injuries in the same domestic fixture in France.

Political opponents of Hugo Chavez called off their primary election and joined forces behind a popular state governor as their top choice to challenge the Venezuelan president in December.

Leicester 29 Stade Francais 22

Argentina 23 South Africa 34

LEICESTER boss Pat Howard has predicted a “formidable” challenge from Stade Francais when the Parisians play for their Heineken Cup lives today.

Ospreys 13 Stade Francais 8

Ospreys 13 Stade Francais 8