A High Court judge hopes to be in a position to give judgment on the minister for finance’s bid to halt a number of legal challenges to the Government’s recapitalisation of Irish Life and Permanent early next month.

A High Court judge hopes to be in a position to give judgment on the Minister for Finance's bid to halt a number of legal challenges to the Government's recapitalisation of Irish Life and Permanent early next month.

TWO Irish Life and Permanent shareholders have begun legal challenges against the Government’s plans to recapitalise the bank.

Vince Vaughn has joined the cast of 'Lay The Favorite'.

EUGENIE BLANCHARD, a nun who was considered to be the world’s oldest person, has died in the French Caribbean island of St Barts at the age of 114.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has warned his opponents against mounting a coup attempt.

A teenager from the Dutch Antilles islands helped import cocaine into Ireland out of “familial duty” to his cash-strapped mother, the Children’s Court heard today.

Hurricane Felix, a dangerous Category 5 storm, drove through the Caribbean today toward Central America, where forecasters said it could arrive as a “potentially catastrophic” storm.

Hurricane Felix rapidly strengthened into a dangerous Category 5 storm as it headed through the Caribbean Sea towards Central America, where forecasters said it could make landfall with “potentially catastrophic” effect.

Hurricane Felix gathered strength early today and became a Category 2 storm, the US National Hurricane Center said. It was forecast to pass just north of the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba.

Hurricane Felix gathered strength early today and became a Category 2 hurricane, the US National Hurricane Center said. It was forecast to pass just north of the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba.

Tropical Storm Felix strengthened into a hurricane today and spun through the Caribbean towards a group of small islands off Venezuela.

A Dutch national who sexually assaulted a five-year old child has been given a two years prison sentence by Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

SUNWAY has launched its new worldwide brochure with destinations including Brazil, Peru, Mexico, China, Vietnam and Singapore.

DIGICEL, the mobile phone company owned by Denis O’Brien has acquired a licence to operate on the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

While US warships hold exercises in the Caribbean, Venezuela’s military will mobilise its own training exercises next week with thousands of troops practising to defend the country’s coastline, a top navy official said yesterday.

The Justice Ministry began reviewing safety at Dutch prisons today, a day after the Netherlands’ most deadly fire in a decade killed 11 immigrants awaiting deportation at a detention centre outside Schiphol Airport.

A fire broke out early today in a prison complex for drug smugglers and illegal immigrants at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 15.

Hurricane Emily strengthened dangerously today after slamming into Grenada, where it blasted out windows and flooded two main hospitals and tore roofs from homes still damaged by last year’s storms. At least one man was killed.

Denis O'Brien's Digicel Group announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire Cingular’s Caribbean operations in a multi-million dollar deal which significantly increases the size of Digicel’s Pan-Caribbean network.

DENIS O’Brien’s Caribbean mobile phone venture, Digicel, has found itself embroiled in further trouble after a supplier launched a $30 million (€23m) legal claim against the company.

The most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean in a decade killed at least 15 people and devastated Grenada, damaging 90% of homes in the ”spice isle” and destroying a 17th-century prison that left criminals on the loose.

Hurricane Ivan, with winds of more than 140 mph, was barrelling across the Caribbean toward more holiday isles tonight after devastating Grenada.

HURRICANE Ivan was brewing in the Caribbean last night, threatening to wreak havoc only days after Hurricane Frances tore across the region.

HEINEKEN Ireland’s continued growth of market share will help it offset the forecasted drop-off in beer sales following the imposition of a ban in smoking in pubs from January, the company said yesterday.

Gardai in Dublin have arrested a 35-year-old South African man following a cocaine seizure in Dublin Airport this afternoon.

A dozen inmates have escaped from a prison on the Dutch island of Curacao.