Vanessa Emme is an Irish-Filipina actress currently based in London. She plays Helena Charles in John

During excavations at Paul St in central Exeter in 1983, archaeologists found the leg and wingbones of a large bird.

Galway’s Rebecca Hennelly will relish this week’s historic camogie All-Star tour in Madrid, Spain, more than most. 

Former Taoiseach Charles Haughey did not want the bodies of three IRA members shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar to be taken home through Dublin, archived British papers disclosed.

Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare is looking forward to the “massive challenge” of facing Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Madrid's regional government is assessing how to get a bus campaigning against allowing children to change their gender off the Spanish capital's streets.

Britain's most important double agent of the Second World War almost had his cover blown because his homesick wife could not stand living in England, according to secret files made public for the first time.

International model Alison Canavan, who was catapulted onto the catwalk when she was just 15, is celebrating 18 months of sobriety.

A 1,300 strong flock of sheep had to be rounded up by police in the Spanish city of Huesca after their shepherd fell asleep.

A drugs smuggler who fraudulently claimed almost €30,000 in benefits for three years when he was living in Lanzarote has been given a chance to avoid a jail sentence.

Cork woman Eilis Burns was the first finisher in one of Europe’s most difficult swimming events.

Hristo Stoichkov has warned Pedro he must not join Manchester United because Louis van Gaal is a “mediocre” manager who will “destroy” him.

A Dublin man fraudulently claimed almost €30,000 in benefits for three years when he was living in Lanzarote, a court has heard.

Dolores Aveiro, the mother of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest-paid footballer in the world, was stopped trying to leave a Spanish airport with €55,000 in her handbag.

Iker Casillas has admitted he considered leaving Real Madrid and believes Arsenal were interested in securing his services before he decided to stay and fight for his place.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Cristiano Ronaldo is a shoo-in for this year’s Ballon d’Or after he notched his third hat-trick in four Primera Division games.

The parents of brain tumour patient Ashya King have described their anguish at being separated from him after they were arrested and held in a Spanish prison for several days.

Welcome to your Tuesday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Jose Mourinho refused to discuss difficult domestic issues on the eve of Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final first leg with Atletico Madrid.

Chris Coleman hailed Gareth Bale’s commitment to Wales after the world’s most expensive player raced back from his unveiling at Real Madrid to join up with the national squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Serbia.

Manchester United managed to salvage Marouane Fellaini from an otherwise shambolic deadline day that descended into farce when three imposters strode into La Liga offices pretending to be officials of the Old Trafford outfit and an attempt to sign Fabio Coentrao on loan collapsed because the paperwork could not be completed on time.

Gareth Bale has passed his medical at Real Madrid and will get his first taste of life as a galactico this afternoon when he is presented at the Bernabeu.

Spain has been accused of introducing an export ban on construction materials destined for Gibraltar.

Gareth Bale’s proposed world-record move to Real Madrid has temporarily been put on hold.

Cairn Energy is to press on with its intentions to begin drilling off the west coast during the second quarter of next year, now that it has received formal Government approval for its plans.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho remained non-committal about where he will be next term after his side lost 2-1 in the Copa del Rey final against local rivals Atletico Madrid last night to round off the “worst season” of his life.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has no doubt the club are destined for more titles.

So officials in Galway have been “warned” by an American politician there will be “ramifications” if Galway City Council erect a statue to Che Guevara.

Malaga striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has announced his retirement from football at the age of 35.

A Bavarian radio presenter has sent a pair of traditional Bavarian brogues to Cristiano Ronaldo after the Real Madrid forward allegedly had three pairs of football boots stolen before his side’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

A SPANISH judge who became an international human rights hero by indicting former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet yesterday denied any wrongdoing as he went on trial over his handling of a domestic corruption probe.

A SPANISH judge has withdrawn from the murder trial of four members of Basque separatist group ETA after an open microphone in court caught her calling them “bastards.”

Celtic assistant Johan Mjallby will not rule Scott Brown and Anthony Stokes out of Sunday’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox after both players missed the trip to Spain for Celtic’s Europa League group opener against Atletico Madrid tomorrow night.

Jonathan deBurca Butler gets a whistle-stop taste of a confident, vibrant, lived-in city with the ‘swagger of a matador ‘, before moving on to devour delightful Toledo, Seville and Cordoba

A Polish contortionist who was stealing from people's suitcases on a bus has been caught out.

A Russian submarine is to take part in Nato naval exercises for the first time.

Aaron Lennon trained with his Tottenham team-mates this morning, raising hopes that he will be fit for tomorrow’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

HARRY REDKNAPP has urged Tottenham fans not to hold a grudge against Peter Crouch over his damaging dismissal against Real Madrid.

Injury-plagued Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate limped off during a friendly against Barnet yesterday with a calf problem.

THE son of former president Dr Patrick Hillery, Dr John Hillery, said yesterday he is willing to take a €100,000 hit in income if his hopes of being elected to the next Dáil are realised.

SPANISH airports were back operating at normal levels yesterday after a 24-hour wildcat strike by air traffic controllers caused travel chaos for hundreds of thousands of people on one of the country’s busiest holiday weekends.