OPPONENTS of the Lisbon treaty sparked a war of words yesterday after claiming the independence of the Referendum Commission had been thrown into doubt because of alleged links to the yes campaign.

The IFA's last minute U-turn on the Lisbon treaty was "disappointing, but totally to be expected" Libertas executive director Naoise Nunn said this evening.

A VIRTUALLY untreatable form of tuberculosis (TB) may be already present in Ireland, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said yesterday.

A new, deadly strain of tuberculosis has killed 52 of 53 people infected in the last year in South Africa, the World Health Organisation said today, calling for improved measures to treat and diagnose the bacteria.

Keira Knightley has been ruled out of a film or theatre part in cockney classic My Fair Lady, after acclaimed director Trevor Nunn insisted he was perfectly happy with his present leading ladies.

Senior managers bought the company from the Tipperary Lifeware Group, which acquired the company three years ago.

Tyrone Crystal has been brought back into Northern Ireland ownership in a management buy-out, it was announced today.

BONO has been nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, it emerged yesterday.