New Year’s celebrations across the world ushered in 2017 with dazzling fireworks displays and crowded streets amid tightened security measures for the festivities.

Lesley Fagan found her sister, who was adopted in 1948, living in Australia.

After more than 60 years apart, two sisters, living on opposite sides of the planet, had an emotional reunion in Dublin Airport this week.

A 24-year-old Australian man has been jailed for nine years for the one-punch attack that killed Irishman Thomas Keaney; The brother of a man murdered eight years ago was sentenced to two weeks in prison for contempt of court; Noel Gallagher reveals how marijuana ended his GAA career. Here’s today’s lunchtime irishexaminer.com round-up.

A week spent playing golf with two former Northern Ireland soccer players along with the acquisition of a very expensive putter has put Michael Hoey in contention at the BMW International Open in Munich.

Paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth threatened to punch another cleric when warned to stay away from altar boys, an inquiry has heard.

What about the Government handing over €1bn for the creation of 1,000 jobs in a 36-club (two divisions of 18), unified, full-time Irish league.

There were around 100,000 people around the country out for the dawn walks for Pieta House’s annual Darkness Into Light fundraiser today.

BIG Brother is watching — all the time.

Zayn Malik walked off stage after falling ill during a gig.

An Irishman has been killed in an explosion at a shopping centre in Perth, Australia.

Kelly O’Brien spoke to five people working abroad

Irish mobile networks have today announced pricing plans for the iPhone 6, which will go on sale next week.

Miley Cyrus has been banned from performing in the Dominican Republic.

Peter Jackson has lent his private jet to the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Several dozen Chinese relatives of passengers on Flight MH370 have demanded that Malaysia apologise for its handling of the search for the missing plane and for the prime minister’s statement saying it crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

China has demanded that Malaysia turn over satellite data it used to conclude that a passenger jet was lost in the southern Indian Ocean with no survivors during a flight to Beijing.

Relatives of flight MH370’s passengers and crew have been told that the plane crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, leaving no survivors.

A 21-year-old north Cork man charged with an alleged fatal hit and run on a cyclist 18 months ago has been refused bail after gardaí objected to an application by his solicitor.

Justin Bieber has been behaving like a bad boy to boost his career, R&B singer Brian McKnight has claimed.

A small tingle of pride ran across my neck when I heard the news.

Pre-tax profits at Ireland’s largest domestically owned fast-food restaurant chain Supermacs increased by 6% to €5.35m last year.

Australia’s ambassador met Indonesian government officials who summoned him following reports the Australian Embassy in Jakarta is a hub for Washington’s secret electronic data collection programme.

One Direction star Louis Tomlinson has sparked fears he will miss the band's show in Perth, Australia, tonight after being struck down by an illness and losing his voice.

THE second Happy Days International Beckett Festival, devoted to Irish literary giant, Samuel Beckett, is on this week in Enniskillen. Beckett lived in the Fermanagh town during his teenage years, when he was a boarding student at Portora Royal School.

It’s the kind of book that ought to be compiled about every town in Ireland; a fascinating view of the past through old photographs and bill-heads from businesses — some of which still survive.

The grieving widow of a 42-year-old cyclist killed in a hit and run a year ago said the driver who left her husband to die at the side of the road had a “heart of stone”.

The Virgin boss dress as a (female) flight attendant. MY EYES!

A young father has described his torment at being torn from his son’s life after being deported from the US as an illegal immigrant.

A Wexford man who was stabbed in the neck during a fight in Perth, Australia, a week ago, has died.

Young Munster 16 Lansdowne 15

Annalise Murphy, the Irish Laser Radial sailor, will need to hold her nerve and sail her best race ever today to win Ireland’s first Olympic sailing medal since 1980, the first ever sailing medal for a female sailor.

By Joe Finegan

Comments by a junior minister that young people were being “handed” the dole and spending it on drink have been described as “moronic” by a party colleague.

Irish Olympic High Jump hopeful Deirdre Ryan is eager to get back into competitive action ahead of London 2012, following an ankle injury which has ruled the Dundrum-based athlete out since January.

A few weeks ago, I was high up on a ridge over Sheep’s Head in West Cork.

Lady Gaga thinks she will "die of excitement" over her forthcoming tour.

IT was the week before Christmas.

Next year’s European Tour will again include just one event Ireland, two in England, one in Wales and three in Scotland.

Next year’s European Tour has been confirmed with the Irish Open switching from late July to the end of June, but with a venue yet to be announced.

Annalise Murphy has officially qualified Ireland for the 2012 Olympics in the Laser Radial sailing discipline.

Irish sailor, Annalise Murphy, has given her chances of qualifying for next year’s Olympics a major boost after moving up to second overall in the Laser Radial class at the World Sailing Championships in Perth, Australia.

IRELAND’S elite Olympic sailors are amongst the favourites at the third multi-class ISAF Sailing World Championships which start this weekend at Perth, Australia.