There is no doubt Toyota does some things very well; it would not, after all, be one of the biggest automotive manufacturers in the world if it did not get one or two things absolutely bang on.

The low oil price environment has resulted in Irish-listed exploration firm Dragon Oil posting an 18% year-on-year drop in first half revenues, while profits dipped by over 50%.

Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) increased its offer yesterday to buy Dragon Oil to 800 pence (1,137.3c) a share, winning support from minority owners including billionaire Paul Singer’s Elliott Advisors UK that rejected ENOC’s offer in June.

Another minority shareholder in Irish-listed exploration firm, Dragon Oil has criticised the takeover offer from majority investor, Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) as undervaluing the company.

The Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) believes its takeover of Irish-listed explorer Dragon Oil will succeed, despite significant minority-shareholder opposition to the current offer.

Oil producer Dragon Oil’s largest independent investor the asset management firm Baillie Gifford, has said an increased takeover offer from majority owner Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) “materially undervalued” the company.

Three Irish lads are planning the road trip of a lifetime for one very good reason - to turn up at their friend’s wedding in China.

Pope Francis says it is OK to smack your children to discipline them – as long as their dignity is maintained.

Oil producer Petroceltic International’s largest shareholder has called for an extraordinary general meeting of the Irish company’s shareholders to oust chief executive Brian O’Cathain.

Exploration firm Dragon Oil has an official window of three weeks to put up or shut up regarding the prospect of a takeover of the Irish firm Petroceltic.

Any pending formal takeover offer for Dublin exploration firm, Petroceltic from Middle Eastern player, Dragon Oil is expected by analysts to tempt other parties into a bidding war.

Irish-listed exploration firm Dragon Oil has upped its half-year dividend payment to shareholders by 33% to 20c, on the back of a strong set of interim results.

Three Limerick motor bike enthusiasts are setting off on an epic 16,000k journey to Mongolia to help children with hearing impairments.

WHEN the planes went into the Twin Towers on 9/11, Brian Fagan realised it was time to hightail it out of Afghanistan.

The missing Malaysian airliner was deliberately diverted and continued flying for more than six hours after losing contact with the ground, Malaysia’s leader said.

Rapper Kanye West has been attacked by a human rights group for performing at a wedding in Kazakhstan, accused of legitimising the human rights violations of the nation’s president.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today accused the West of ignoring bloodshed in Egypt and called on the United Nations Security Council to meet urgently to discuss the situation after hundreds of people were reported killed.

Shares on the Irish Exchange continued to rally for a third consecutive day in line with most European bourses amid renewed optimism that the crisis is abating.

Middle East: Some analysts believe Israel continues to occupy the Golan Heights, seized from Syria in 1967, in order to ensure control over water resources.

By Eduard Gismatullin

Boxing’s world governing body AIBA has upheld a second appeal in the Olympic boxing tournament and reinstated American welterweight Errol Spence at the expense of India’s Krishan Vikas.

Japan were last night successful with an appeal against Satoshi Shimizu’s controversial Olympic Games bantamweight defeat to Magomed Abdulhamidov at ExCeL.

The presidents of Afghanistan and Iran have convened in Pakistan for a three-way summit that is expected to focus on steps Islamabad can take to bring about peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.

Voting has begun in Turkmenistan’s presidential election in a race designed to cement the incumbent’s hold on power in the authoritarian Central Asian nation.

How much can Ireland really be expected to achieve as the newly appointed OSCE chair, asks Caroline O’Doherty

To mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the former Soviet Union, Geoffrey Roberts reflects on what led to the collapse of the institution instigated by the Bolsheviks in 1922

MINING company Kenmare Resources has said that it doesn’t anticipate its operations in Mozambique to be adversely affected by government plans to revise that country’s mining laws.

Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan 1979-1989

DIESEL will be 100% dearer in 2020, says the head of product management at a top EU farm machinery company, which is winning major awards for fuel-saving innovations.

Gazprom of Russia clinched a deal today to double supplies from Azerbaijan in a bid to expand its control over gas produced by former Soviet republics and to undermine the European Union’s plans for an alternative gas pipeline.

AN Indian woman gave birth to a baby in the bathroom of an international passenger plane and tried to dispose of it down the toilet, according to media reports in New Delhi.

British, French and US troops strode across Red Square for the first time today in a Victory Day parade marked both by the usual impressive display of Russia’s military might and by an unusual emphasis on international co-operation.

THE ISEQ index broke through the 2,900 level again yesterday to close up 50.94 points at 2,926.26. Volumes were again on the weak side.

Military divers have found the body of one of two US soldiers who disappeared last week in western Afghanistan, Nato forces said today.

DRAGON Oil, the Irish-listed exploration company, has suffered a 37% drop in first-half profits and a 29% fall in revenue.

THE ISEQ index finished down 15.55 points at 2,166.81 yesterday on a quiet day as a lack of interest in trading was the main feature of the market.

Turkey was condemned today for cyber censorship – and for being the only country in the world which bans YouTube.

The Turkish army clashed with Kurdish rebels in the south east and northern Iraq in their deadliest battle in eight months, as the government pledged there would be no let-up.

OIL exploration company, Dragon Oil has delivered a record set of interim results for the first half of 2008 and said it is on course to generate significant production growth for the year as a whole.

DRAGON OIL, the Dubai-based explorer operating in Turkmenistan, fell the most in a week in London trading as concerns grew that its export route through Iran may be disrupted.

DRAGON OIL, the Dubai-based explorer operating in Turkmenistan, said oil production in the first half of this year increased 36%.

DRAGON OIL, the Dubai-based explorer operating in Turkmenistan, tested its Dzheitune (Lam) 22/128 development well in the Central Asian republic and expects to meet its output forecasts.

South Korea have conceded Park Ji-sung will miss the Olympic Football Tournament.