In what is believed to be only the second case of its kind in Europe, a rape investigation in France has hit the same DNA crux which forced gardaí in Limerick to drop a major investigation six years ago.

French police investigating a series of rapes in the southern city of Marseilles are confounded after tracing DNA evidence to a set of twins, but not knowing which one may be to blame.

LEGENDARY Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman, who influenced a generation of film-makers with his often stark works, died yesterday at the age of 89.