State's biggest canine rescue

A woman who kept 140 dogs in conditions described as "deplorable" has sparked the largest canine rescue in the history of the State, according to the ISPCA.

The rescue took place over the past five days at a rural property in Co Leitrim.

The dogs, mostly Bichon Frise cross-breeds, King Charles Cavaliers and Shih Tzus, ranged in age from puppies to mature dogs.

Most of them had heavily matted fur and were suffering from skin, eye and teeth problems. One of the dogs was so ill it had to be euthanised while another had to have a diseased eye removed.

Sandy deadliest storm in years

Superstorm Sandy was the deadliest hurricane in the north-eastern US in 40 years and, at $50bn (€37bn), the second-costliest behind Hurricane Katrina in the nation's history.

The National Hurricane Centre said Sandy, which visited devastation on the East Coast, principally New Jersey and New York, in October, created wind gusts as far west as Wisconsin and as far north as Canada and caused water levels to rise from Florida to Maine.

Suu Kyi to help end conflict

Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has offered to help negotiate an end to conflicts between the government and ethnic minority groups, a challenge the country's president said was essential to building democracy.

Ms Suu Kyi made the offer to members of her National League for Democracy party on Union Day, which marks when her late father General Aung San signed a 1947 agreement with leaders of the country's ethnic minorities to gain independence from Britain.

Mannequin sparks rescue

Paramedics and an air ambulance raced to the scene of an emergency – only to find a mannequin left in a parked car.

Crews from the East of England Ambulance Service were alerted to reports of a person unconscious and not breathing in a locked car. The vehicle was covered in snow and ice.

But when they arrived at Milton Road in Harwich, Essex, paramedics quickly realised the mistake.