Gay Byrne picked the most argumentative leftwingers, some of them fresh from student activism, to serve as researchers on the ‘Late, Late Show’. Terry Prone says he helped shape Ireland.

A convicted rapist has asked to be put back into prison because he believes he cannot abide by the conditions of his release, parents are being questioned by Gardaí after they gave their children bleach in the belief it could cure them of autism, the rise of Jordan Spieth and the maths problem that has gone viral across the globe. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this evening.

Michael Clifford writes that Maurice McCabe is the driving force behind changes in Garda culture, a report criticises consistency in dealing with care orders, Liam Mackey pays tribute to Ray Treacy and a US mother leaves her dsabled son in a wood for a week. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com.

On the 70th anniversary of US president Franklin D Roosevelt’s death, Ryle Dwyer examines how Éamon de Valera’s fulsome condolence gesture stunned critics

An arrogant Church hierarchy has a long history of scapegoating and trying to cover up serious scandals, says Ryle Dwyer

A hat-trick for Tom Scudamore stole the show from Tony McCoy at Newton Abbot yesterday as the champion jockey’s wait to reach Martin Pipe’s phenomenal record goes on.

Ireland South voting sensation Brian Crowley all but made a bid for the presidency as he recorded a fifth poll-topping European election, with his team likening him to the much- loved US president, Franklin Roosevelt.

Author Joe Joyce speaks to Declan Burke about his latest offering, a tale set in Dublin in 1940 — a time of intrigue, betrayal and espionage

Denzel Washington stars as commercial pilot Whip Whitaker in Flight (15A), which opens with a vividly depicted airplane crash.

Seventy years ago today Hitler’s armies at Stalingrad surrendered after 200 days of the most savage fighting. Geoffrey Roberts on the moment the long, crooked and twisted journey to today’s democratic Europe began

Richard Fitzpatrick ponders the link between abnormal psychology and political power — and finds that many of those who have achieved high office were not, in fact, as stable as we think.

Steven Spielberg’s US Civil War epic Lincoln led the Golden Globes with seven nominations, among them best drama, best director for Spielberg, and acting honours for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, and Tommy Lee Jones.

Steven Spielberg’s civil war epic Lincoln leads the race for honours at the Golden Globes.

US President Barack Obama has accused Mitt Romney of scaring voters with lies as Tuesday's US Presidential election draws ever nearer.

The final key economic report four days before the US presidential election held something for both candidates today, showing the monthly unemployment rate ticked up slightly but created far more jobs than expected.

US employers added 171,000 jobs in October, and hiring was stronger over the previous two months than first thought.

Former president Bill Clinton will lead the cheers as he nominates Barack Obama for a second White House term tonight in a bid to enhance the Democrats economic credibility.

Team Obama has quietly built a juggernaut re-election machine in Chicago. Andrew Romano goes inside

The price of gold has surged recently as nervous investors scramble for a safe haven but only time will tell if we are about to witness yet another bubble similar to that in property or tech stocks, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Conrad Black, the once-powerful media mogul whose newspaper empire spanned several continents, was sent back to prison for another 13 months after a federal judge ruled that he had not served enough time for defrauding investors.

EARLIER this month I was asked to discuss Irish neutrality during the Second World War on Tom McGurk’s programme on 4FM.

BARACK OBAMA’S first test as president came as he was being sworn in. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, got the presidential oath wrong.

BARACK OBAMA’s political career boasts a long list of firsts.

THE face-off between Eamon de Valera and Winston Churchill in this week’s Hidden History TV programme on RTÉ 1 was a case of hiding history and promoting distortion.

Russian president Vladimir Putin made a proposal concerning Iran's nuclear programme to Tehran's leader at a private meeting during his brief stay in the country.

We should insist the EU demands Vanunu’s return to Italy.

Former media mogul Conrad Black’s trial began with the judge questioning a man who lost money in the WorldCom debacle, a woman whose investments went sour and more than three dozen other prospective jurors.

RAY BURKE is primarily a victim of his own arrogance. If there were real justice, however, he would have plenty of political company.

President George W Bush for the second time was chosen as Time magazine’s Person of the Year, after winning re-election and “reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style” – a reference to his cowboy image.

DEMOCRATIC candidate John Kerry accused president Bush yesterday of hiding bad decisions and said it raised the prospect of more bad news Bush was trying to hide.

Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon’s new lover is a mystery no more.

SEX AND THE CITY star Cynthia Nixon is in a long-term relationship with another woman, New York newspapers reported yesterday.

REMEMBER Mel Gibson? Cute little guy. Wore bad hair extensions, facial graffiti and tartan in a movie called Braveheart. Has about 23 children. Made a film called The Passion of the Christ.

WHAT was the secret of Ronald Reagan’s success? Was it his timing and theatricality? His charisma? His optimism? His circle of advisers? Or was it that, time after time, people underestimated him?

George Bush plans to spend a record €186m on his re-election campaign which will be launched near the third anniversary of the September 11 attacks, it was reported today.

By Ryle Dwyer

US PRESIDENT George W Bush was thrust anew into the role of mourner-in-chief on Saturday with the loss of the space shuttle Columbia, offering words of comfort and hope in the face of national tragedy.

By Ryle Dwyer