A small, private jet has slammed into a house in the US state of Maryland, killing a woman and her two young sons inside the home and three people on the aircraft, authorities said.

Junior Sports Minister Michael Ring has hailed showjumper Cian O'Connor's "superlative display" as he won Ireland’s first Olympic medal with a bronze.

Thousands of children around the world are set to be disappointed this Christmas if they write to the jolly man at the North Pole and expect a reply.

IRELAND must have a clear roadmap strategy to deal with a major bird flu outbreak in the near future, top medics warned yesterday.