The Ballylickey botanist; the Skibbereen astronomer; the Cloyne caterpillar collector, Madame Dragonfly. Robert Hume highlights the lives and achievements of three female scientists from Co Cork, and the obstacles they faced to achieve recognition of their work

Andy Murray avoided any first-round dramas as he eased past Benjamin Becker on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

A US military judge allowed a marine sergeant convicted of murder in one of the biggest war crimes cases to emerge from the Iraq war to walk free today, nearly two months after a military appeals court ruled he had an unfair trial.

A software engineer , furious with the US Internal Revenue Service, crashed his small plane into an office building housing nearly 200 federal tax employees today, officials said.

IT’S reported many people are cutting back on Christmas excess. Excellent news: far too much meaningless rubbish given these days anyway; the true meaning of Christmas long lost on most modern-day westerners.

Andy Murray extended his stay at the Open Sabadell Atlantico in Barcelona by reaching the second round of the doubles alongside Londoner Ross Hutchins.

A jury sentenced a US Marine corporal today to time served and reduced his rank to private for conspiring to murder an Iraqi civilian during a frustrated search for an insurgent.

A police official today said narcotics officers in the US were justified in returning fire on a 92-year-old woman they shot dead after she shot them as they tried to serve a warrant at her house.

A US Navy medic has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his part in the killing of an Iraqi civilian.

Director Guy Ritchie was left redfaced when he was unable to answer questions about his superstar wife Madonna on a French chat show yesterday.

Police have information on more than 500 Australians who access child porn and more arrests are likely, Australia’s police chief said today, a day after announcing the country’s largest ever crackdown on the industry.