Digital rights experts have called for British-style levels of oversight on the shadowy world of surveillance.

Scotland Yard has said that the detention of the partner of a Guardian journalist at the centre of revelations about US and British security services was "legally and procedurally sound".

Northern Ireland software firm First Derivatives posted a 10% increase in pre-tax profits for the six months to the end of August.

Pre-tax profit at capital markets service provider First Derivatives increased by 7% to £6.9m (€8.6m) for the 12 months ending Feb 29.

Former Vita Cortex workers this morning mark the 100th day of their mammoth sit-in with a Mass for close family and friends in the factory canteen.

SPECIALIST Irish technology firm First Derivatives has said that it has made a strong start to the second half of its financial year; building on a good first six months.

A Co Wexford man remanded in custody amid confusion over his "true identiy" was released from prison today.

NEWRY-BASED specialist technology firm First Derivatives has forecast continued growth in its current year, after seeing profits rise by just over 15% last year.

A DOCTOR has pleaded guilty to secretly filming female patients while they went to the bathroom as part of a “fetish” and could be struck off the medical register within months.

AN ex-soldier has been charged with the murder of 37-year-old Marie Greene, whose body has been recovered from a midlands bog.

The UK government's terrorism watchdog is to investigate the arrests of six men in London questioned by police over an alleged plot to attack the Pope, the British Home Secretary has confirmed.

A MAN alleged to have used nine identities to defraud the state of more than €250,000 has offered to plead guilty to all charges to save the state money.

FIRST Derivatives, which provides software and other services to the international capital markets, has reported a strong first half, with sales up by more than 56%.

FIRST Derivatives – the Newry-based specialist technology company – has reported a 27% rise in full-year pre-tax profits, to £5.64 million (€6.56m).

A security guard accused of killing his sister, her husband and six others had a history of mental problems and feared his sister wanted to kick him out of the home they shared, relatives and others said.

Bomb squad police were detonating a huge explosives haul today at the home of a man accused of shooting dead eight people in Virginia's worst mass killing incident since 2007.

DUBLIN-listed financial services technology company, First Derivatives has said that it is on course to deliver increased profits for its current fiscal year after posting a record set of first-half figures.

NORTHERN Ireland specialist technology firm First Derivatives has reported a strong set of full-year results – for the 12 months to the end of February – and has expressed confidence for further growth in its current fiscal year.

A 13-year-old girl, who is facing 19 charges mostly for thefts, is to remain banned from Dublin city centre for a further six weeks.

A 17-year-old girl who set on a classmate at their training course because their families were feuding has been spared a fine and criminal conviction after she made a donation to charity.

A 16-year-old boy arrested for attacking a garda who was injured on St Patrick’s Day appeared in court this morning charged with public order and assault charges.

A 16-year-old boy, who worked as a look-out and selected a young woman as potential theft victim for his accomplice, has been remanded on bail pending sentence by Judge David Anderson at the Dublin Children’s Court.

A 17-year-old boy arrested for possessing a set of house keys stolen during the course of a car hijacking has been remanded on continuing bail while further serious charges are considered.

Two teenage boys charged over a drink-fuelled attack on a youth, who was allegedly kicked on the head as he lay on the ground, have been remanded on bail.

A 16-year-old boy accused of stealing a woman’s car and running her over with it has been further remanded in custody by the Dublin Children’s Court pending directions from the DPP.

A teenager arrested last month for possessing about €25,000 worth of heroin, has been further remanded in custody pending directions from the DPP.

A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of a 16-year-old boy who has been charged with threatening to douse his mother with petrol and set her on fire.

A 16-year-old’s bundle of 27 charges was today compared to a “mystery tour” by a judge who insisted that progress was needed in the case in which pleas had not been entered despite several court appearances.

A DISTRICT Court judge has hit out at unbalanced smoking fines, whereby smoking a cannabis cigarette can get you a maximum fine of €100, while smoking a Sweet Afton cigarette can incur a maximum fine of €3,000.

THE Director of Public Prosecutions was yesterday accused by a judge of using delaying tactics in the prosecution of four men charged in relation to the largest seizure of cocaine in the State.

US country music star Willie Nelson and his tour manager were spared a spell in jail after pleading guilty to possessing marijuana.

A teenager, who took part in a spree of car break-ins, has been detained for two years after attaining his 45th criminal conviction.

A Romanian teenager who has brought into Ireland illegally by child traffickers and later arrested for possession of two counterfeit credit cards, has been remanded on bail pending sentence.

A 15-year-old boy, who was part of a violent gang that attacked gardaí with kicks, bites, punches, stones and bottles and hit a female garda on the stomach with a brick, has decided he wants to be detained for two years.

A 16-year-old schoolgirl, who burgled an elderly woman’s home and stole her handbag containing her bank and medical insurance cards, has been remanded on continuing bail pending sentence by the Dublin Children’s Court.

The State has been granted more time to prepare the book of evidence in the case of a 16-year-old boy arrested in connection with the shooting of a Garda sergeant in Dublin in September.

The High Court has reserved judgment in a challenge by four media to a District Judge's order that the name of a man before the courts on a charge of possession of child pornography images not be published.

Three young men might not have died in a horrific traffic collision if there had been better road warning signs, a Belfast inquest heard today.

DISGRACED former Fianna Fáil Justice Minister Ray Burke, who sold his house for almost €4 million in 2000 and received corrupt payments totalling at least £250,000 in the 1980s, will be seeking free legal aid to fight tax charges brought against him yesterday.

HUNDREDS of people accused of dangerous driving and drink-driving had their cases struck out last year, it has emerged following the collapse of the prosecution against singer Joe Dolan.

An attempt to set a new world altitude balloon record was cancelled today.

By David Anderson

DWIGHT YORKE says he is desperate to re-establish himself as one of the best strikers in the Premiership after his cut-price move to Blackburn.