Catch-up with what you've missed so far today with our lunchtime briefing

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

IRELAND 

Former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank David Drumm led investigators on a “merry dance” and fought “tooth and claw” to avoid extradition to Ireland to face trial over E7bn worth financial irregularities at the bank, a court in Dublin heard this morning.

A 34-year-old man has been jailed for 13 years for raping a woman with Down Syndrome in Dublin.

Siptu says strike action will go ahead affecting Dart services in Dublin, unless plans for new timetables are withdrawn.

More than 7,000 mobile phones, most of them smart phones, have been stolen since the beginning of 2015. Here's a simple trick to make it easier to get your smart phone back if it's stolen

The telecommunications regulator is to consider a range of “conservation” measures to avoid having to add extra digits to mobile and landline phone numbers which could cost more than €1.65 billion.

Tobacco smuggling gangs are hiding plastic bags stuffed with hundreds of thousands of euro in cash in the cabins of foreign-bound trucks in a new system to siphon off their millions.

An east Cork harbour town’s hopes of acquiring a floating pontoon to boost tourism stand high and dry amid allegations of post-election ‘treachery’.

WORLD 

Two-year-old twin boys who drowned after falling into a fish pond in a garden in Fife have been named locally.

A number of factions and nations are involved in the war in Syria. Here is a breakdown of the main players.

SPORT

Manchester United have avoided UEFA sanction for supporters' chants about the Hillsborough disaster during Thursday's Europa League clash with Liverpool.

Before heading to Cheltenham, our racing correspondent eyes up the five horses every Festival conversation either begins or ends with.

BUSINESS

It has been revealed that the Irish Central Bank is in discussions with a number of international investment companies to prepare for a possible influx of investment managers into Ireland if the UK chooses to leave the EU.

Forecourt retailer Applegreen has reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of €28.9m for 2015, a 26% rise on the previous year.

VIEWPOINTS

Cora Sherlock says there is nothing positive about abortion for women, and the debate in this country pits women against women in the worst possible way

LIFESTYLE

With two and a half weeks of school holidays, Jonathan deBurca Butler suggests now is a great time to take a trip to Dublin where a plethora of 1916-inspired exhibitions and events are taking place

VIDEO

Like an upbeat, advance guard of an invading army, Irish people are making their presence known worldwide ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.

VIRAL

A fashion designer has given new meaning to the term clothes horse – by creating a three-piece suit fit for a stallion.

There is nothing that raises our patriotic hackles more than hearing St. Patrick’s Day referred to as ’Patty’s Day’. Twisted Doodles has made this helpful guide on the difference between Patty and Paddy.

TECHNOW

GAMING: To welcome new players to the series, Nintendo has added an invincibility mode to Star Fox Zero.

MOVIES: Another Marvel character is coming to Netflix in the near future. The streaming service announced that Luke Cage, the spin-off series based on the character in Jessica Jones, will be released on September 30.

TECH: Samsung has quietly announced the Galaxy Tab A, listing the tablet on its online store in Germany.

SHOWBIZ

The IFTA (Film & Drama) 2016 nominees have finally been announced.

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Simon Zebo needs some arm around the shoulder encouragement, says Donal Lenihan