EU leaders struggle with threat to Europe’s budget, writes John Whelan.

As a holiday destination, Malta is just off the beaten track – and it’s a must-see, writes Grainne McGuinness.

It looks like it will be all-change upfront for Ireland in Turner’s Cross tomorrow night, with Shane Long — who opened the scoring against the Netherlands on Friday but also opened a pre-existing cut on his knee — set to be rested and wrapped in cotton-wool so nothing more serious befalls him between now and June 13.

‘Unheard-of’ idea discussed as 14 people die off coast of Turkey.

The euro weakened and global equities resumed their October rally after the ECB signalled that additional monetary stimulus known as quantitative easing is at the ready if growth continues to falter.

LÉ Samuel Beckett will depart her base in Haulbowline, Co Cork, this morning to take over refugee rescue missions in the Mediterranean from LÉ Niamh.

Lanzarote deals

The crew of LÉ Niamh will return home on Friday, October 2, but it is still unknown if the Government will send a replacement ship out to the Mediterranean Sea to aid the EU-led operation to save migrants attempting to make the crossing from North Africa into Europe.

A Naval Service crew was forced to ‘abandon ship’ when further problems were detected on the new €70m LÉ James Joyce.

Defence Minister Simon Coveney has said he believes the crew of the LÉ Eithne are not under “any undue pressure” despite rescuing almost 3,000 people from rafts in the Mediterranean in recent weeks.

Lonely Planet has declared Ireland one of the best countries in the world for 2015.

WALKING this route on the glorious Sunday of June 22, the cliff path took my wife and I above Ardmore’s golden sands, crowded with holidaymakers.

Malta’s prime minister said 27 people are confirmed dead after the capsizing of a migrant ship off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

The days of chauffeur-driven cars and Ferrero Rocher chocolate delights are over for Ireland’s ambassadors.

Two ferries carrying foreigners trying to leave strife-torn Libya were waiting to leave Tripoli today, delayed by officialdom and rough seas, while a Russian-chartered ferry arrived at a port further east.

AN emergency team of Irish consular staff is expected to arrive in Tripoli this morning to help evacuate all remaining Irish nationals wishing to leave Libya amid widespread violence and bloodshed in the North African country.

THERE are “serious” concerns over the safety of five Irish citizens who are still missing after the worst natural disaster to hit New Zealand in living memory.

Former Bohemians double-winning boss Roddy Collins has entered the race to be next Cork City manager.

WITH thanks to the late great Ian Dury, it is my rare pleasure today to present reasons to be cheerful (part three).

DERRY CITY and St Patrick’s Athletic resume Europa League action today, but while both clubs go into their second leg second qualifying round games with 1-1 draws under their belts, the advantage ought to be with the Candystripes after they grabbed a precious away goal in the first leg of their game against Skonto Riga of Latvia.

HE’S the latest of the Irish football management wild geese to take wing to exotic foreign climes – and trust Roddy Collins to bid farewell to his home town with a memorable soundbyte.

Pirates seized control of a French luxury yacht carrying 30 crew members in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia’s coast.

DUBLIN is in the top half of the European table for the number of homicides per head of population.

SUNWAY has expanded its winter programme by increasing accommodation in the destinations of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Morocco and Tunisia, and the company has added Turkey for Christmas and New Year.

Detectives in Malta are today following up a clutch of fresh reports of possible sightings of Madeleine McCann on the island.

DOZENS of balloons were released into Irish skies yesterday as cities across the globe marked the 50th day since the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine McCann.

President Mary McAleese will today hold talks with the president and prime minister of Malta during the first-ever Irish state visit to the island.

President Mary McAleese today begins the first-ever Irish state visit to Malta.

President Mary McAleese is to cheer on the Republic of Ireland team during its Euro 2008 qualifier game with Cyprus in Nicosia on Saturday evening, it emerged tonight.

Italy’s coast guard recovered the bodies of three illegal immigrants who drowned this morning after their boat capsized off Malta’s coast, officials said, and the Maltese army called off the search for eight others, who were presumed drowned, raising the death toll to 11.

FORMER World Snooker Champion Ken Doherty was ejected from a scheduled flight from Malta to Britain on Sunday night, after picking up his first masters victory in five years.

Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez has kept faith with four players who decided to sit out the match against Germany two months ago for Wednesday night’s friendly against Malta.

The arrival of the 10 newcomers to the European Union will be marked from midnight tonight with celebrations in all corners of the new 25-nation club.

The Green Screen touring programme of Irish film kicks off this weekend in Bulgaria, the first destination in a series of eight.

Joe Perry was set to return to action in York today still coming to terms with his superb performance at the European Open in Malta.

Stephen Hendry reached the final of the European Open in Valletta today - and then revealed he is hungry for yet another Embassy World Championship title.

Stephen Henry has beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan by five frames to four in the European Open in Malta.

Jimmy White has the utmost respect for John Higgins but there will be no quarter given when they clash in the last 16 of the £250,000 European Open at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Malta today.

Ronnie O’Sullivan continues the search for his first title of the season when he faces Thailand’s James Wattana in the last 16 of the £250,000 European Open in Malta tonight.

Looking over the shores where the Apostle Paul preached, the pope ended his odysseys through biblical lands today with an appeal to end the cycle of Middle East violence in the places he once prayed.