Donald Trump tapped a man to be a senior business adviser to his property empire even after the man’s past involvement in a major Mafia-linked stock fraud scheme had become publicly known.

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has been convicted of unlawfully accepting money from a US supporter in a retrial on corruption charges, the latest chapter in the downfall of a man who, only years earlier, hoped to lead the country to a historic peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The first person diagnosed with ebola in the US died yesterday as the government ordered five airports to screen passengers from West Africa for fever.

Even in death, Joan Rivers got what she wanted: A star-studded funeral, with the worlds of Hollywood, fashion, media, and money represented among the mourners.

The worlds of Hollywood, fashion, media and money have united among the mourners at a funeral for Joan Rivers, meaning she got the star-studded send-off she wanted.

CAMPAIGNER Richard Leakey has returned to the Maasai Mara, and one of the first social calls he makes is to the local Maasai elders.

ELLE MACPHERSON, all 6ft of sun-kissed long lean limbs and a tumbling mane of blonde hair, is earnestly telling an audience of women in Selfridges, London, what it felt like to struggle with a muffin top, fatigue, and finding herself so irritable she shouted at the kids.

Kilmainham, Dublin

Graeme McDowell is digging in for another hard slog at the US Open as the 2010 champion prepares to par Pinehurst No. 2 "to death", starting tomorrow.

SKIN TRADE

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has been named best film at the MTV Movie Awards, besting even top Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave.

The niece of fashion designer Ralph Lauren verbally abused airline staff, pushed an air hostess against a wall and ranted, roared and shouted incoherently, a court heard yesterday.

The niece of fashion designer Ralph Lauren has been fined €2,000 for pushing an air hostess and swearing at airline staff.

A strong winter storm pounding north-east America with stiff winds and punishing cold has dumped nearly two feet of snow in parts of Massachusetts today.

All 52 passengers who spent Christmas and New Year trapped on an icebound Russian research vessel in Antarctica have been airlifted from the ice in a dramatic rescue mission.

Irish people don’t celebrate success enough and give each other a well-earned boost, Riverdance composer Bill Whelan said yesterday as he heralded the show’s “homecoming” to his native Limerick.

Southwest Airlines is facing its first lawsuit over a hard landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport last month in which 16 people were injured.

Nelson Mandela has made “dramatic progress” and may be going home “any time soon” his daughter said as the former South African president celebrates his 95th birthday today.

Michael Moynihan on his week in the online terror underworld.

The Pakistani Taliban have denied any role in the bombings at the Boston Marathon that killed at least three people and injured more than 140.

The new Galaxy S4 could outperform the iPhone, experts claimed, after Samsung took its battle with Apple on to its rival’s home turf in a theatrical show of force.

No doubt you’ve heard by now that Wicked, the musical which tells the story of Oz from the witches’ perspective and one that has taken Broadway and the West End like a Kansas storm for the last 10 years, is coming to Dublin.

Fourteen people have died and about 345,000 homes and business were left without power as the US north-east and Canada were hit by a blizzard that dumped up to 3ft of snow on the most densely populated part of the region.

At least eight people died in the massive snowstorm that swept through the US north east and Canada.

Airport scanners with their all-too revealing body images are to be scrapped, America’s transport authority says.

A triumphant US President Barack Obama pledged to ease the bitter partisan divide on display during his gruelling battle for re-election and sure to carry over into his second White House term, while the most pressing of many urgent economic problems looms with a “fiscal cliff” at the end of the year.

Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, both from hard-hit New Jersey, will perform at a benefit concert for Superstorm Sandy victims.

While he grew up in New York, John Lahey recalls, the Famine was almost a taboo topic.

The Irish famine was almost a taboo topic while he grew up in New York, John Lahey recalls.

The EU’s antitrust chief has warned Google it could face charges of breaching EU rules and a fine unless it does more to ease concerns it used its search clout to block rivals.

Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe lost his way while kayaking off New York’s Long Island, but was picked up by a coastguard boat and taken to shore.

Oscar winning actor Russell Crowe lost his way kayaking off New York’s Long Island, but was picked up by a coastguard boat and taken to shore.

At least four people were shot outside New York’s Empire State Building this morning and the gunman is dead, city officials have said.

An out-of-control SUV sped across several lanes of flyover traffic, then plunged more than 50ft into a ravine in the grounds of New York’s Bronx Zoo, killing all seven people aboard, including three children.

Hundreds of world landmarks from Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate to the Great Wall of China went dark last night, part of a global effort to highlight climate change.

A transatlantic jet which suffered an engine failure diverted to Shannon yesterday where it landed with its one remaining engine.

Revellers erupted in cheers amid a confetti-filled celebration in New York’s Times Square to welcome in the new year, part of star-studded celebrations and glittering fireworks displays around the world to usher in 2012.

Glittering fireworks have exploded as revellers in Australia and Asia welcomed 2012 and people around the world looked forward to bidding adieu to a year marred by natural disasters and economic turmoil.

ADRIANA Garcia won’t be buying her family Christmas gifts this year.