UTV is to launch a new television channel in the Republic, it announced today.

UTV has said “clear signs” are emerging of all of its business units returning to revenue growth, despite first-half turnover falling by over 10% and ongoing struggles at its Irish-based radio portfolio.

UTV has reported a “resilient” first-half performance, with pre-tax profits of £11.2m (€14.1m) and an over-performing Irish radio portfolio — giving it “a strong platform for growth”.

UTV has reported record annual profits of £23.3m (almost €28m), despite taking a significant impairment hit in its Irish division.

A woman and her partner have been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with the murder of her four-year-old son.

UTV has boosted its new media division by acquiring Dublin-based online marketing agency Simply Zesty for a maximum consideration of £6.7m (circa €8m).

THE HSE and the Garda Síochána have launched an inquiry into allegations of sexual and physical abuse at a Cork school while it was run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

UTV has said it remains open to expanding its radio portfolio — here and in Britain — on the back of record financial growth for the group, last year.

A post mortem is due to be carried out today on the body of a man found outside his Co Mayo home on Thursday.

A MAN found dead outside his home in Co. Mayo is the latest victim of the arctic weather.

The British Queen has arrived in the North today for a two-day visit.

A controversial new play inspired by a sex scandal surrounding the shamed MP wife of the North’s First Minister Peter Robinson is set to open in Belfast.

UTV Media, the North’s biggest broadcaster, said first-half profit rose on increased revenue and lower costs.

THE gardaí have revealed plans for a Sexual Crime Management Unit as part of a new policy on investigating sex crimes, including the abuse of children.

ADVERTISING revenue at UTV’s Irish radio operations fell by 16% last year, but the group’s business here maintained overall annual revenue levels at £24.8 million (€27.5m).

GARDAÍ expect to have carried out risk assessments on more than 1,000 sex offenders living in the community within the next three months, it emerged yesterday.

UTV Media chief executive John McCann yesterday said he was pleased with the Belfast-based broadcasting group’s static performance for last year, given the downturn in the advertising market and wider economy.

THE one remaining regular reader of this column will know of my love for Ballyhea, a love that has been sorely tested by a succession of personal rebuffs in recent years, the price regularly paid for being part of the large and passionate family that goes to make up any decent GAA parish.

UTV’s Irish radio division — which includes Cork stations 103 and 96FM, Dublin’s Q102 and FM104 and Limerick’s Live 95FM — provided the main impetus to the Belfast- based-broadcasting group’s first half results.

The owner of talkSPORT today announced plans to raise almost £50m (€63.3m) as it became the latest firm to ask shareholders for a cash boost.

UTV Media announced its results for the year ending December 31 2007 today, revealing a rise in group revenue of 2% to £115.6m (€151m).

VETERAN Sinn Féin councillor Christy Burke offered to take a lie detector test at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday to prove he never threatened Tom Gilmartin, one of the principals behind the Quarryvale development in west Dublin.

PROPERTY developer Owen O’Callaghan paid for a Sinn Féin-led protest by south Dublin residents who picketed Dublin County Council offices in support of the Quarryvale project, the Mahon Planning Tribunal heard yesterday.

A SECOND reward of €10,000 is being offered by Crimestoppers in connection with a serial sex attacker in Co Cavan and Co Carlow.

The family of missing Madeleine McCann are attempting to re-focus attention on the hunt for her, with plans for an £80,000 advertising campaign.

Madeleine McCann’s family today made a bid to shift the focus away from suspicion on her parents and back to the search for the missing girl with the announcement of a new advertising campaign.

Portuguese police want to re-interview the mother of missing Madeleine McCann so they can ask her more than 40 questions she previously refused to answer, it has been reported.

Social workers visited missing Madeleine McCann’s parents at their home in England today to discuss the welfare of the couple’s other two children.

The parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann met social services representatives at their home today to discuss their case.

Missing Madeleine McCann’s parents are awaiting the next twist today in the police investigation into her disappearance after they were both named as suspects.

KATE McCann’s brother-in -law yesterday labelled the latest moves by the Portuguese police as “crazy”.

Portuguese detectives today accused the mother of missing Madeleine McCann of killing her daughter.

Missing Madeleine McCann’s father arrived at a Portuguese police station today to face fresh questioning over his daughter’s disappearance as his wife Kate, who now believes she could be charged in connection with Madeleine’s death, left the police station after being interviewed separately by officers having been made an “arguida”, or formal suspect, this morning.

Kate McCann’s brother-in-law today labelled the latest moves by the Portuguese police as “crazy”.

Kate McCann fears she will be charged today over the death of her daughter Madeleine, a family friend said.

TalkSport owner UTV pointed today to signs of recovery in the UK radio advertising market as it delivered a 4% rise in operating profits.

A POWERFUL computer system gave gardaí the breakthrough on this string of sexual assaults.

GARDAÍ want to catch this man, before he carries out any further sex attacks on women.

Spanish police said tonight they had arrested an Italian man and Portuguese woman who allegedly tried to extort money from the parents of Madeleine McCann, offering them information about their missing four-year-old daughter.

Spanish police arrested an Italian man and a Portuguese woman today with possible links to the case of Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old British girl who vanished nearly two months ago during a holiday in Portugal.

Football fans will again be enlisted in the search for Madeleine McCann today, when a film of the missing girl is played at the FA Cup Final.

OPPORTUNISTS have registered commercial websites with very similar spellings to the official site for the campaign to find Madeleine McCann.

A party planned to mark the fourth birthday of missing youngster Madeleine McCann has been postponed until her safe return, her uncle said today.

The family of missing Madeleine McCann will today have a small party for her fourth birthday, more than a week after the little girl disappeared.