AFTER an admittedly disastrous spring the Irish summer has been quite respectable so far with reasonably warm days and nights and just occasional bouts of rain.

REMOVING plants (or people) from their native soil and transplanting them to far off climes is not always successful but sometimes they thrive.

IN CASE you missed it Wednesday, Apr 17, was World Malbec Day, a chance for Argentina to promote their wines and the grape variety that they now claim as their own.

Eight of Lidl’s wines have picked up gongs at this summer’s

Recent arrivals in Ireland will by now associate any words starting with “euro-” with high emotions, a mad media frenzy, and the vista of otherwise level-headed folk roaring at the telly.

Three explosions have been heard outside the Toulouse apartment building where a suspected gunman is holed up.

GREENE’S opening gambit is an exterior most restaurants would kill for: off a busy city street, through an old stone archway to a secluded natural waterfall.

A 78-year-old French woman died early today from complications of E.coli infection but a doctor said she was not suffering from the strain that has infected many other people in France and Germany.

The ‘Parachute’ singer Cheryl Cole wants to quit the house she shared with estranged husband Ashley Cole in Surrey, South East England – who is alleged to have cheated on her with a string of other women – as soon as possible because it holds too many painful memories.

The son of the couple whose house was destroyed in Sunday’s plane crash said their parents were “thankful” to be alive.

Investigators will today remove the bodies of five people killed in a jet crash as they sift through wreckage to find out what caused the tragedy.

AFTER an August of seemingly never-ending series of setbacks with injury and poor on-field form, Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan could at least afford to smile a little yesterday.

The Ireland Rugby World Cup squad continued their warm-weather camp today in Capbreton in South West France.

Toulouse coach Elie Baup is relishing his side’s clash with Liverpool in the third round of the Champions League’s qualifying stages.

A plane skidded off the runway during take-off from an airport in south west France today and hit a van, killing the vehicle’s driver, authorities said.

Bordeaux 0 Liverpool 1

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will today embark on a three-day trip to Spain in a bid to support the peace process there involving the Basques.

The Government today welcomed the permanent ceasefire announced by Basque separatist group Eta.

George Best sister’s French holiday home has been destroyed in an arson attack, it was revealed today.

Nearly 3,000 security officers and a mounted police squad will be patrolling the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, during this weekend’s visit by Pope John Paul II.

Three suspected members of the armed Basque separatist group, Eta, were arrested by police in northern Spain today, authorities said.

Basque separatist group ETA indicated today it will press ahead with its goal of an independent country separate from Spain either by dialogue with the incoming socialist government or renewed attacks.

A man considered to be a top military chief of the Basque separatist organisation Eta has escaped from jail in south west France, police said today.

French police have arrested two Basque militants considered top leaders of the armed separatist group Eta’s commando units, the Interior Ministry said.

Fugitive rapist Trevor Masters was today in custody in France after 10 months on the run.