Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s call for nothing short of a "full-bodied" judicial and independent investigation into every mother-and-baby home in Ireland effectively pre-empts the Government ‘scoping’ initiative to decide what kind of inquiry should be held into the mass burial of deceased babies.

A balloonist who was trying to cross the Atlantic using hundreds of helium-filled balloons, in a style similar to Pixar film 'Up', has landed short of his goal in Newfoundland.

A balloonist making a trans-Atlantic crossing says he’s landed at a remote location where he’ll spend the night.

Leading Republican senator John McCain has urged the United States to launch airstrikes against Syrian president Bashar Assad's regime to force him out of power.

The red carpet has been rolled out as Down welcomed home Oscar-winning director Terry George.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is confident skipper Robbie Keane will be ready to lead his country into Euro 2012 battle after jetting in from America.

WORK must be fun for Sean McDermott these days.

TIPPERARY boss John Evans has slammed the “poaching” of some of his top stars by American clubs.

MICHAEL STOUTE will leave it “as long as we are allowed to” before making a final decision about Workforce’s participation in tonight’s Breeders’ Cup Turf.

FASTEN your seat belts – the threat to air travel from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland is likely to remain for the summer months, according to the Irish Aviation Authority.

The Iceland volcano is threatening to turn into a major headache for businesses across Europe.

Beleaguered airline British Airways is considering selling its OpenSkies subsidiary only a year after it acquired it, it was reported today.

Suspected Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk, deported from the US to face charges of helping murder of 29,000 people, was transferred to a German prison today.

A STATE agency should be created to protect jobs to support the work of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, it was suggested yesterday.

Pakistanis today protested over a suspected American missile strike that intelligence officials said killed a British citizen linked to a plot to blow up jetliners, saying their Western-allied government must stop the cross-border attacks.

Aer Lingus boss Dermot Mannion today insisted the decision to reroute its Heathrow slots from Shannon to Belfast will not be changed.

Wall Street rose smartly in a quiet session today as investors adjusted positions ahead of a bank holiday weekend and tried to determine whether a lacklustre week presaged a departure from the market’s months-long run-up or merely a temporary pause.

EU governments today backed a deal with the United States that should boost the number of people flying across the Atlantic by opening up restricted routes to new rivals.

European companies would be allowed larger stakes in US airlines under a tentative agreement reached between the US and European Union.

A major Manchester United fans’ group has accused Red Devils owner Malcolm Glazer (pictured) of totally ignoring a letter from Richard Caborn requesting a meeting between the American and supporters opposed to his takeover.

Top European Union officials today said, on the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, that the 25-nation bloc was more determined than ever to fight terrorism, and that closer co-operation was key to thwarting new attacks.

A key suspect being held in Pakistan in connection with the alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights from the UK has given interrogators “vital clues,” a Pakistani government minister said today.

The probe into the plot to blow up trans-Atlantic passenger planes was continuing, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said today, and that the “full picture” would be eventually revealed to the public.

Airline passengers soon will have their names checked against the US “no-fly” list before flights take off for the US, the homeland security chief said.

BRITISH police questioned 22 suspects yesterday in the alleged plot to bomb trans-Atlantic jetliners in mid-air, and the country’s top law-and-order official warned that the risk of another attack remained high.

The terrorist attack foiled by British authorities today was aimed at blowing up as many as 10 aeroplanes on trans-Atlantic flights, and plotters hoped to stage a dry run within two days, according to US intelligence officials.

THE impending battle between unions and the Government over the privatisation of Aer Lingus moved a step closer yesterday with SIPTU preparing to ballot on possible strike action in the coming weeks.

British airports group BAA reported a mixed performance for January today as new services to India offset a sharp decline in trans-Atlantic travel.

European Union and United States officials met in Brussels today to relaunch stalled talks that would open up US airports to European carriers.

A trans-Atlantic trip may be just what Ashley Cole needs to take his mind off his ‘tapping-up’ troubles – and he arrives in the United States for England’s end-of-season tour as the top-ranked Premiership player present.

GROUP OF EIGHT leaders wound up a summit that adopted a raft of anti-terror, trade and development measures but saw a hoped-for display of unity punctured by new trans-Atlantic squabbles.

The European Commission will next Wednesday ease a six-year-old biotech food ban and take a step toward defusing a trans-Atlantic trade clash by allowing the import of a Syngenta AG gene-modified sweet-corn variety.

Darren Clarke is on his way home from the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando, Florida.