Portugal’s foreign minister Paulo Portas resigned, the president’s office said yesterday, in a further blow to the centre-right coalition that has kept the country’s international bailout on track.

Portugal’s government is taking the bailed-out country deeper into austerity, announcing sharp tax increases for next year.

ON January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, the French enjoy 50 million Galette des Rois to celebrate the Festival of Kings. The flaky pastry cake has a soft filling of delicious frangipane. Inside is hidden a Feve. Originally it was a broad bean, but nowadays it is more likely to be a tiny porcelain or hard plastic figure.

CLONAKILTY, Co Cork handler, Thomas O’Leary, enjoyed the biggest success of his career when 20-1 shot Preists Leap stormed away with the Ellen Construction Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park yesterday.

PUNTERS were left gasping for breath after 16-1 shot Gaspar, the outsider of the five runners, trounced his rivals in the Grade 3 Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase at a bitingly cold Thurles yesterday.

DAVY RUSSELL got off to the perfect start for the New Year when producing a magical piece of riding on Cloudy Bays in the featured Wilf Dooly Chase at Tramore yesterday.

Arsenal midfielder Edu is keeping his options open despite being strongly linked with a move to Valencia.