Independent.ie - Frontpage RSS Feed

Greece to go to the polls again as euro exit fears grow

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:00:35 +0100

THE second Greek election will take place on June 17 and Judge Panagiotis Pikrammenos will head the temporary caretaker government in the interim, it was announced today.

Good looking priest 'Father What A Waste' admits to having affair and fathering a child

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:06:27 +0100

A PRIEST whose movie star good looks landed him frequent appearances on US TV, has admitted to fathering a child.

Donegal TD challenges Fiscal Treaty referendum in High Court

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:12:09 +0100

INDEPENDENT Donegal South West TD Thomas Pringle has brought a High Court challenge over what he says will be the "far reaching" effects of the May 31 referendum on the Fiscal Stability Treaty.

TD calls on RTE chairman to quit over Mission to Prey broadcast

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:13:12 +0100

INDEPENDENT TD Mattie McGrath has called for Tom Savage to resign from his role as chairman of RTE.

Louis Walsh reveals Simon Cowell's obsession with Dannii Minogue's boobs

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:10:24 +0100

X FACTOR judge Louis Walsh has said he knew that his boss Simon Cowell was sleeping with fellow judge Dannii Minogue, because he was ‘transfixed’ by Minogue’s breasts.

Olympics 2012: Tributes to Katie Taylor from proud dad Peter and Sports Minister

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:49:17 +0100

SPORTS Minister Michael Ring and the coach and father of boxer Katie Taylor have led tributes after she secured her place in the London Olympics.

Liverpool sack legend King Kenny as manager after flop season

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:35:57 +0100

KENNY Dalglish's Liverpool reign is over following face to face talks with the club's American owners.

High Court gives hospital permission to amputate man's leg after family refuse consent

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:39:45 +0100

A HOSPITAL was yesterday given High Court permission to amputate a man's leg to save his life because he is unconscious and his relatives have refused to give consent for the operation.

‘I would get arrested if I unzipped that dress’: Prince Phillip’s latest gaffe

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:29:00 +0100

PRINCE Philip left royal well-wishers aghast once again during a tour in London with a crude comment about a woman's dress.

Union tells Ulster Bank to explain fine print of 950 redundancy deal

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:09:26 +0100

BANK union leaders have called on Ulster Bank executives to publish the fine print on its plans for 950 redundancies after they agreed a new package of severance terms.

Video: Obama ribs Irish cousin Robbie but he misses it and asks ‘What did he say?’

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

IT'S a long way from Tallaght to the White House, but Irish football captain Robbie Keane looked very much at home as he rubbed shoulders with US President Barack Obama.

Two week extension for children’s hospital site review

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:45:53 +0100

A TWO-week extension has been granted to a group of experts reviewing plans for a long-awaited children's hospital after more alternative sites were offered.

Border black market fuel laundering plant uncovered

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:45:01 +0100

A BLACK market fuel-laundering plant costing €2m a year in lost taxes has been uncovered.

Consultant admits money given to ex FG deputy mayor Fred Forsey was ‘’certainly questionable’’

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:13:43 +0100

A CONSULTANT linked to plans to develop farmland at the centre of a corrupt payments trial admitted money given to an ex-Fine Gael deputy mayor was "certainly questionable".

Welcome to Clones, Co Monaghan where you can pay in old punts in bid to beat recession

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:45:22 +0100

SHOPKEEPERS in a border town in Ireland are offering to trade in the near obsolete punt to try and turn the clock back on the recession and euro currency crisis.

Tiger poster boy Simon Stokes overstated income, tribunal told

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

BOOM-era restaurateur Simon Stokes was yesterday accused of overstating the amount of lost earnings after he and his brother were dismissed by the new owners of their former celebrity haunt.

All-Ireland winning boss adds support to call for Yes vote

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

DUBLIN football manager Pat Gilroy last night stumped for a Yes vote with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, saying a No vote would damage Ireland's credibility.

Judge directs jury in trial of man accused of stabbing friend to death

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:07:14 +0100

THE jury in the trial of a 36-year-old man who stabbed his friend to death has been told it can find him guilty of murder, manslaughter or acquit him for a number of reasons.

Woman given suspended sentence for receiving Valium package worth €32,000

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:16:03 +0100

A DUBLIN woman has been given a four-year suspended sentence for receiving a package of Valium worth more than €32,000.

Woman with 102 convictions gets two years for possessing stolen Chanel handbag

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:18:14 +0100

A WOMAN with 102 convictions has been jailed for two years for possessing a stolen Chanel handbag.

‘Out of control’ man who stabbed father is given eight month jail sentence

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:35:19 +0100

A 22-year-old man who drunkenly stabbed his father in the hand and threatened to kill gardai when they arrived to assist has been sentenced to eight months in prison.

Doctor couple fear their home will go up in flames court told

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:42:40 +0100

A JUDGE has heard that two doctors feared their home, a protected structure under the planning laws, could go up in flames because of the activities of a neighbouring corporate events and road show promotions firm.

Judge throws out €38,000 claim by man against his brother

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:33:08 +0100

A JUDGE has thrown out a €38,000 damages claim by a jobless man against his brother.

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:58:03 +0100

I picked John Terry for football reasons, says England manager Roy Hodgson

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:02:35 +0100

ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson focused on footballing matters as he explained the selection of John Terry and the omission of Rio Ferdinand in his England squad for this summer's European Championship.

Players' chief Gordon Taylor condemns Joey Barton for 'upsetting people with good reputations'

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:19:24 +0100

GORDON Taylor has strongly condemned Joey Barton, claiming the QPR captain fully deserves a lengthy ban for his antics during and after Sunday's defeat at Manchester City.

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere blasts Samir Nasri's jibes: 'hopefully we can rub his face in it next year'

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:33:18 +0100

JACK Wilshere has attacked Samir Nasri for mocking Arsenal’s third-place finish and admits he is looking forward to making his former teammate pay for his comments.

Darren Clarke playing to restore pride at Volvo World Match Play Championships

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:43:00 +0100

BRITISH Open champion Darren Clarke admits his pride has been wounded as he begins yet another attempt to spark his career back into life.

Mike Tindall’s England career in tatters as new coach looks to 2015 Rugby World Cup

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:11:39 +0100

ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has conceded it is "unlikely" Mike Tindall will play again for England.

Yaya Toure's agent invites Barcelona interest with claim Manchester City midfielder is seeking new challenges

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:38:53 +0100

YAYA Toure could quit Manchester City this summer to seek new challenges having done "all he can do" with Robert Mancini's side, according to his agent.

Howlin hopeful of securing new EU stimulus package

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

GOVERNMENT ministers made the case for more cash for Ireland in Brussels yesterday amid expectations that European leaders will agree within weeks to release funds for some sort of stimulus package.

JP Morgan faces FBI investigation over losses

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:06:48 +0100

JP MORGAN’S Jamie Dimon was hit with a fresh blow on Tuesday after the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a criminal investigation into the bank's $2bn (€1.57bn) trading loss that has stunned Wall Street.

Phoenix to sell gas supply business to rival Airtricity

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:24:25 +0100

PHOENIX Energy has agreed to sell its gas supply business to rival power firm Airtricity.

Rehab to create 400 new jobs

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:49:45 +0100

MORE than 400 jobs will be created by the Rehab Group as it expands its operations over the next three years.

C&C reports pre tax profits of €110.9m in line with expectations

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:05:16 +0100

DRINKS company C&C has reported pre tax profits of €110.9m for the year to the end of February up from €79.5m reported for the previous year.

Saga takes another twist as Eircom suitors challenge move

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

DOUBTS have been cast over plans by Eircom's examiner to finalise a survival scheme to hand the business to creditors by the end of this week, following an unprecedented legal intervention at the Commercial Court.

Cameron Diaz ‘considering adoption’

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:01:23 +0100

Cameron Diaz is reportedly looking into adoption.

Baron Cohen gets the hump in Cannes

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:31:02 +0100

Sacha Baron Cohen has rocked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival - on a camel.

Panettiere rocks red carpet in red

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:56:23 +0100

Hayden Panettiere wowed in a scarlet gown at an industry bash where she celebrated her primetime TV comeback.

How to shop ahead of the curve

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:32:17 +0100

Pre-ordering designer clothes before they hit the shops used to be the preserve of fashion insiders. Now Net-a-Porter and Topshop are offering us all the chance

Smith: I've never been athletic

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:21:00 +0100

Will Smith admitted he has "no sporting aspirations" as he met four athletes from Team GB.

Charlize Theron: Paparazzi incident was gut-wrenching

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:16:15 +0100

Charlize Theron admits that she was upset by the sour incident she experienced with paparazzi last week.

Derby house fire: father speaks of losing six children

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:05:44 +0100

THE father of six children killed in a house fire broke down in tears today as he spoke for the first time since the tragedy took place.

Gruesome evidence of former Serbian general Ratko Mladic presented at UN court

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:30:24 +0100

DETENTION camps set up by Bosnian Serbs were "part of the system" of terror and ethnic cleansing, the UN prosecutor has alleged at the trial of Ratko Mladic in the Hague today.

'Scottish madam' Anna Gristina fails to appoint Uri Geller's son as lawyer

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:15:18 +0100

THE Scottish 'madam' accused of running a prostitution ring from her home in New York has failed in her attempt to have Uri Geller's son represent her in court.

Memorial service in London for journalist Marie Colvin murdered in Syria

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:51:40 +0100

LEADING figures from the worlds of media, politics, and the arts gathered to pay emotional tribute to "bravest of the brave" war correspondent Marie Colvin.

OJ Simpson in new bid for freedom on kidnapping and robbery jail sentence

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:15:23 +0100

A NEW lawyer for OJ Simpson has filed a new attempt to gain his release from Nevada state prison, alleging the former American football star and actor was so badly represented by lawyers in his trial and previous appeals that he deserves a retrial.

Murder of model Eva Rhodes was covered up to protect Hungarian police officer, sister claims

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:16:31 +0100

THE murder of model Eva Rhodes was covered up by the Hungarian authorities to protect a policeman who was involved in her death, her sister claimed today.

Blue Peter to be taken off BBC flagship channel

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:10:38 +0100

Blue Peter, the world's longest-running children's television show, is moving off the BBC's flagship channels for the first time in its 53-year history.

Why the Cannes Film Festival is still king

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:15:45 +0100

It is famous for its A-list stars and champagne-soaked soirées, but Cannes remains the cinephile’s festival of choice. David Gritten rounds up this year’s most tempting Palme d’Or contenders .

Katherine Jenkins breaks down after stumble on Dancing With The Stars

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:57:13 +0100

Katherine Jenkins, the classical singer, suffered a back spasm during her performance in the quarter final of the US show Dancing With The Stars.

Nancy Dell’Olio criticises the BBC's 'sexist' Have I Got News For You

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:19:27 +0100

Nancy Dell'Olio has labelled the atmosphere of the BBC television programme Have I Got News For You as 'sexist'.

Baron Cohen gets the hump in Cannes

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:31:02 +0100

Sacha Baron Cohen has rocked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival - on a camel.

Photo of The Beatles walking back across Abbey Road up for auction

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:11:19 +0100

A rare photograph taken during the shoot for the Abbey Road cover shows the Beatles walking back across the road, from right to left.

Hunger Games star on her battle with infertility

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:19:38 +0100

Elizabeth Banks has spoken out about her "battle" with infertility and the support she received.

Cosmetics, detergents and pollutants may reduce sperm count

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:45:12 +0100

MEN’S sperm count could be reduced by exposure to chemicals in the environment, according to research.

Mother accused of killing babies to be held at psychiatric hospital

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:06:58 +0100

FELICIA Boots, the mother accused of killing her two children, will be transferred to a psychiatric hospital under the Mental Health Act.

Claudia Winkleman is given a baby ban by her husband

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:48:18 +0100

Claudia Winkleman, the Strictly Come Dancing presenter, says her husband, Kris Thykier, has banned her from having more children.

Hunting for the ideal pram or buggy

Mon, 14 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

IT'S caused more rows and marital spats than is good for any couple. It fosters envy, triggers sleepless nights and leads to feelings of inadequacy and longing.

My son can't control his anger. How can I calm him down?

Mon, 14 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

MY 13-year-old son had his friends over for a movie last night. He was so excited but before the movie was over he had asked all his peers to leave the house.

James Delingpole: The problem with God is that He thinks He's Bob Geldof

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:25:31 +0100

BOB Geldof is a rich man. According to the Sunday Times rich list he is worth £32 million and like most rich people he is understandably keen to hang on to his fortune. That's why, very sensibly, he gives no more of his money away to the Government than he has to. As a registered non-dom he is legally entitled to avoid income and capital gains tax on international earnings. Those of us without non-dom status may envy him the privilege, but we can hardly blame him for it: after all we most of us know that we'd do a much better job of spending (and saving) our money than ever the poltroons in the various agencies of government do.

Hamish McRae: You reap what you sow ... how German fiscal virtue has been rewarded as economy lifts off

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:08:55 +0100

VIRTUE has been duly rewarded. That, at least, would seem to be the immediate conclusion to be drawn from the divergent paths taken by the German economy and that of much of the rest of the eurozone, notably Italy. Germany, which has clamped down on wages, brought in sweeping labour market reforms, cut its budget deficit, and boosted exports, has grown by 0.5 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Italy, which has done none of those things, shrank by 0.8 per cent. France, which under Nicolas Sarkozy had followed a more or less middle course, had a middling experience: a flat quarter.

Grace Dent: Twitter might have turned into a party with 10 million guests, but I'm still loving every minute of it

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:55:52 +0100

WELCOME, you’re the official 10 millionth Twitter user. Pull up a username, excrete your first techno-brainfart, make yourself comfy. If you're a Twitterland newby this week you'll notice we're mostly doing Joey Barton v Gary Lineker, the saga of Rebekah Brooks, silly Huey Morgan, Cameron's love for Pink Floyd, and that dog on Britain's Got Talent who "dances" for a cunningly hidden ham sandwich. Or perhaps that's just my timeline.

James Lawton: An exciting league season? Without a doubt. But the best ever? No chance

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:45:06 +0100

THERE are two things to say about the Premier League season which is being so widely hailed as the best ever, if only to placate some of the more overwrought Manchester City fans who now seem to believe that what happened at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon was right up there with the relief of Mafeking and the storming of the Winter Palace.

Tim Stanley: Mitt Romney gets his nose in front after Barack Obama's gay marriage endorsement backfires

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:27:09 +0100

UNTIIL last week, things weren’t looking good for Romney. Poll averages put him trailing Obama, despite the poor economic news. His reputation was still battered by the primaries, which exposed him as detached, wealthy, pandering and creepy. If dogs could vote (and I’m sure that in Chicago, they do) Mitt would have been fifty points behind. Obama’s re-election looked likely, if not guaranteed. An historic first term would become an historic second term, and Obama’s face would be carved into Mount Rushmore – somewhere to the left of Abraham Lincoln.

Johnny Fallon: Opinion polls are just a snapshot in time ... but they can frame the political future

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:51:30 +0100

IT’S often asked why people bother with an opinion poll when there is no election imminent. Some suggest its purely an exercise to keep people in the media talking about something. There is certainly an element of truth in that, however media outlets are not inclined to pump out stuff that nobody wants to hear ... it’s not good for sales.

School head threatens to expel under-13s with Facebook accounts

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:33:09 +0100

AN Australian school head teacher has warned parents she will expel students under 13 who do not delete their Facebook accounts.

US university cleaner graduates with honours after 12 years of study

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:30:45 +0100

A 52-year-old cleaner at the Columbia University originally from Montenrgro, has graduated from college in the US after 12 years of full-time work and part-time study.

Europe's top ten MBA schools favoured by employers

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:34:43 +0100

1. INSEAD: France's INSEAD was last year ranked Europe's number one MBA school by international employers. The average INSEAD graduate started the programme with six years of work experience and left commanding a base salary of $107,240. The course duration is ten months, places a strong focus on entrepreneurship and requires students to be tri-lingual.

St Patrick’s Teacher Training College to get a €40m upgrade - Minister announces

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:26:52 +0100

ALMOST €40 million in Government funding has been allocated to upgrade a teacher training college.

Girl's school dinner blog becomes internet hit

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:09:27 +0100

A BRITISH schoolgirl has become an internet sensation after posting pictures of her inadequate school dinners, in a blog that has drawn comparisons with Jamie Oliver after his fight for healthy meals.

Chinese pupils 'hooked up to drip' to prepare for dreaded June exam

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:06:12 +0100

PICTURES have emerged allegedly showing Chinese schoolchildren hooked up to intravenous drips as a study aid ahead of the country's notoriously difficult university entrance exams.

Charlie Haughey's beloved Kinsealy estate on the market for a knockdown €7.5m

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:11:06 +0100

FORMER Taoiseach Charlie Haughey's Abbeville mansion has gone on the market for a fraction of the €45m he sold it for a decade ago.

NAMA homes come with Celtic Tiger luxuries but recession-proof prices

Thu, 10 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

IF NAMA's deferred payment scheme is designed to get nervous buyers off the fence and down to their mortgage lender, then the houses viewed by the Irish Independent yesterday should do just that.

At €2.5bn we still can't clear our credit card debt

Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

THE average consumer still owes €1,274 on their credit card, with little sign that they are getting on top of their debt.

NAMA accused of inflating prices for special deal homes

Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

THE country's 'bad bank' was last night accused of pumping up the price of properties it is selling under a special deal to protect buyers against negative equity.

Plan to freeze part of mortgages offers hope to struggling families

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

THOUSANDS of struggling homeowners will be allowed to put part of their mortgage on ice as part of a new deal being planned by banks, the Irish Independent has learned.

Households chipping away at debt even as income falls

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Householders have been desperately trying to pay down car loans, card debts and mortgages and now the average debt for every man, woman and child in Ireland has fallen to €41,000, down from €47,400 four years ago, new figures from the Central Bank indicate.

'Majority of Facebook users do not click on adverts'

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:51:56 +0100

The majority of Facebook’s 900 million users do not click on the social network’s adverts and sponsored content on the site, according to a new survey.

Apple's Siri set a new bar for voice control, says Nuance

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:33:47 +0100

Nuance, the voice interaction company says that there are now more than two billion 'voice interactions' from mobile phones every year.

Facebook 'to boost size of IPO by 25pc to raise $15bn'

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:09:21 +0100

FACEBOOK will reportedly increase the size of its initial public offering by 25pc to raise about $15bn, as strong investor demand for a share of the social network trumped ongoing debate about the company's long-term potential to make money.

Amazon 'to launch new Kindle in July'

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:05:01 +0100

AMAZON plans to launch new versions of its Kindle ereader this summer with front lighting, it has been claimed.

Facebook 'raises IPO price range' amid strong demand

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:16:22 +0100

FACEBOOK has reportedly raised the price range on its initial public offering to $34 to $38 a share in response to strong demand, giving the social network a valuation exceeding $100bn.

Independent Digital announces record readership figures with 4m unique users

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:29:03 +0100

INDEPENDENT Digital and Independent.ie has recorded yet another record year, according to figures just published by ABC Electronic (ABCe) – the online / digital arm of newspaper circulation auditors.

Ryanair passengers warned over website closure

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:18:32 +0100

THOUSANDS of Ryanair passengers due to travel over the weekend have been warned to check-in online before Friday evening, or face paying extra at the airport.

Daring Darwin

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Tipped as one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2012, Darwin is much more than a gateway to the outback, says Rachel Dugan

West Cork: Let me take you to the islands

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

FIFTY years ago, as a raw 15-year-old, I escaped to West Cork, on my own, on a hitch-hiking holiday that took me to its two largest inhabited islands, Cape Clear and Sherkin. I have been going there ever since.

Cantabria: Sea, sand and Santander

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The great Seve Ballesteros, one of my heroes, used to have the same view as I was enjoying from outside my Santander hotel. Except he was across the bay in Pedrena.

Walk of the Week: Paradise Hill, Anglesboro, Co Limerick

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:00:00 +0100

'Here we are in Gleann-na-gCreabhar, the Glen of the Woodcocks," said Michael Lewis, reaching inside his bag.

Two tourists die hiking in Canaries heatwave

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:48:56 +0100

TWO British tourists have died in separate incidents while holidaying in Gran Canaria - just days after parts of the Canary Islands were issued with heatwave warnings.

It's nature, not nuture: Personality lies in genes, twins study shows

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:22:21 +0100

NATURE rather than nurture is responsible for creating your personality, according to a study of twins which found that character is something you are born with.

Video: World’s oldest yoga teacher aged 93 ...and her surname is Lynch

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:13:43 +0100

SHE’S 93 years old, but that isn't keeping Tao Porchon-Lynch from striking a perfect pose. The yoga instructor and dance competitor is vibrant as ever and proves that age really is just a number.

Paralysed man regains movement in hand after revolutionary operation

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:34:57 +0100

A QUADRAPLEGIC man has regained the use of his hand after becoming the world's first patient to undergo an operation which re-routed his nerves to bypass his spinal cord injury.

Office workers 'doubling risk of blood clots'

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:35:45 +0100

YOUNG professionals are doubling their risk of suffering a potentially life threatening blood clot because they sit working for three hours at a time, eat lunch at their desks and then go home and sit on the sofa, a survey has found.

One third of people experience sleepwalking, study shows

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:32:11 +0100

TWICE as many people suffer from sleepwalking than previously suspected, with nearly a third experiencing it at some point in their lives, new research has revealed.

Middle aged deaths from cancer reaches record low

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:47:32 +0100

THE number of people in their 50s dying prematurely from cancer in the UK has reached a record low, new figures have revealed.