One hundred and eight years — that’s how long it’s been since an Irish hockey team competed in the Olympic Games, a drought which is finally set to end this summer.

Hockey: Ireland 4 Malaysia 1

Ireland’s men made a huge statement as they began their Olympic qualification campaign with an 8-0 rout of Chile at the World League 2 in San Diego.

We Need New Names

Voting is well under way on a historic day for Scotland as people determine whether the country should remain part of the United Kingdom.

Scottish independence is “an economic trapdoor from which we might never escape”, according to former UK prime minister Gordon Brown.

Rivals on both sides of Scotland’s referendum debate will take to the streets today for one final day of campaigning before the historic ballot.

The independence referendum is not a test of Scottishness, but a test of common sense, former chancellor Alistair Darling has insisted.

The two leaders in Scotland's independence debate have clashed over the issues of currency, energy and the health service in a TV debate.

The leader of the campaign for Scottish independence failed to turn a US-style television debate into a victory for his cause, six weeks before Scotland votes on whether to break up the United Kingdom.

Former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling has warned the UK economy could face more than a decade “bumping along the bottom”.

A homeless US man will soon have well over $100,000 after returning an engagement ring to a woman who accidentally dropped it in his cup.

A District Court judge accused of attempting to deceive her friend out of half his estate initially claimed it was a mistake by her secretary, a court has heard.

Ireland 12 Ukraine 0

Ireland 6 Russia 1

IRELAND’S decision to guarantee the savings of the banks “smacked of panic rather than a plan” according to Britain’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling.

IRELAND all but assured themselves of a UCD Nations Cup final place as they hammered France 6-1 in Belfield last night, rounding off a miserable few days for the French.

KILLESTER continue their defence of the Nivea For Men’s SuperLeague tomorrow with a potentially tough clash at home to Bord Gáis Neptune.

New Labour leader Ed Miliband has given his strongest signal yet that he would put up taxes in order to protect public services from spending cuts.

David Miliband pleaded with Labour today not to turn the leadership struggle into the kind of “soap opera” that disfigured the Blair and Brown era.

New Labour leader Ed Miliband needs to keep his party in the “centre ground of British politics” to win the next election, shadow chancellor Alistair Darling said today.

David Miliband’s campaign to become Labour leader received a boost when he was backed by another party heavyweight.

The cost of borrowing for Greece on international markets has hit the highest level ever recorded in the eurozone after its credit rating was downgraded yesterday.

Gordon Brown was tonight preparing to fire the starting gun for the 2010 British general election.

The UK's political row over National Insurance (NI) rises intensified today as British business leaders dismissed “patronising” claims that they had been fooled into backing the opposition Conservative Party's plans.

ALISTAIR DARLING turned the screw on the better off yesterday as the battle lines were drawn for the general election.

ALISTAIR Darling used the budget to highlight the political dividing lines for the general election expected in six weeks’ time.

London: Britain will lobby its partners among the Group of 20 industrialised countries to impose a systemic-risk tax on banks, chancellor Alistair Darling said.

Alistair Darling drew up the battlelines for the UK general election today with a highly political Budget that squeezed the better off while offering help to new homebuyers, the elderly and the young unemployed.

Chancellor Alistair Darling’s pre-election Budget did little for the London market today despite slightly better news on the public finances.

British Chancellor Alistair Darling turned the screw on the better off today as he gave a helping hand to first-time buyers in the UK.

The UK Chancellor Alistair Darling has warned against a "hasty sale" of NAMA's UK property portfolio.

BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown said yesterday he played no part in negative briefings about his chancellor after Alistair Darling said the “forces of hell” had been unleashed on him from Brown’s office.

Bank of England rate setter Kate Barker is to step down from the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) after nine years, it was announced today.

The Greek government must take prime responsibility for resolving the country’s deep financial crisis, British Chancellor Alastair Darling said today.

British Chancellor Alistair Darling warned today that an age of "low growth and austerity" lies ahead if the Conservative Party win power at the election.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has sent out a warning shot to America not to go it alone with bank sector reforms, it was reported today.

The UK could still impose a US-style levy on banks to recoup money from the taxpayer bailout, City minister Paul Myners suggested today.

British Chancellor Alistair Darling today ruled out imposing a US-style levy on British banks propped up by the taxpayer despite anger among many Labour MPs at the return of huge City bonuses.

US banking giant JPMorgan Chase kicked off a bumper results season for Wall Street titans after more than doubling profits in 2009. The figures revealed pay, bonuses and benefits across the bank as a whole rose 18% to $26.9 billion (€18.7bn).

London: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his finance minister, Alistair Darling, are confident Britain resumed growth at the end of last year, a spokesman for Brown said.

A record £23bn (€25.9bn) in public borrowing during November is set to heap more pressure on British Chancellor Alistair Darling today.

The UK Conservative Party lead over Labour has dipped into single figures after months in which David Cameron enjoyed a double-digit advantage, according to a poll released today.

BRITAIN’S Labour government slapped a one-off levy on bank bonuses yesterday and said it would hike income tax for all but the poorest in 2011, delaying action to tackle a record deficit until after an election it is expected to lose.