Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday that he would campaign for a liberalisation of the country&#39;s restrictive abortion laws ahead of a referendum in the coming months, adding that his views on the issue had evolved.&nbsp;

Varadkar&#39;s government plans to hold the referendum as soon as May to loosen some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world. His Fine Gael party has agreed to let individual members campaign on either side of the debate.&nbsp;

While the country remains overwhelmingly Catholic - a complete ban on abortion was only lifted in 2013 - public opinion has become far more socially liberal in recent years.&nbsp;

Varadkar, a medical doctor by training, in 2014 described himself as pro-life, but also said that the rules in Ireland, where terminations are only allowed in cases where the mother&#39;s life is in danger, were too tight.&nbsp;

&quot;I believe Ireland&#39;s abortion laws are too restrictive and need to be liberalised,&quot; Varadkar said in an interview with BBC radio on Saturday. &quot;I&#39;ll be campaigning for them to be changed.&quot;

Asked about his previous position, Varadkar said that his views had evolved in recent years.&nbsp;

&quot;I think sometimes that pro-life and pro-choice can be misunderstood ... I think even people who are in favour of abortion in certain circumstances are pro-life,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;These terms pro-life and pro-choice don&#39;t really comprehend the complexity of this issue, which is a very private and personal one and one, I think, that contains a lot of grey areas.&quot;

Ireland has yet to decide the exact wording of the referendum. A cross-party parliamentary committee last month recommended that the state legislature to allow terminations with no restrictions up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy, a more liberal position than some had anticipated.

An opinion poll on Friday found that a majority of Irish voters would support a proposal to allow abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy, but that many older voters opposed the change.

Varadkar's government plans to hold the referendum as soon as May to loosen some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday that he would campaign for a liberalisation of the country's restrictive abortion laws ahead of a referendum in the coming months, adding that his views on the issue had evolved. Varadkar's government plans to hold the referendum as soon as May to loosen some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world. His Fine Gael party has agreed to let individual members campaign on either side of the debate. While the country remains overwhelmingly Catholic - a complete ban on abortion was only lifted in 2013 - public opinion has become far more socially liberal in recent years. Varadkar, a medical doctor by training, in 2014 described himself as pro-life, but also said that the rules in Ireland, where terminations are only allowed in cases where the mother's life is in danger, were too tight. "I believe Ireland's abortion laws are too restrictive and need to be liberalised," Varadkar said in an interview with BBC radio on Saturday. "I'll be campaigning for them to be changed." Asked about his previous position, Varadkar said that his views had evolved in recent years. "I think sometimes that pro-life and pro-choice can be misunderstood ... I think even people who are in favour of abortion in certain circumstances are pro-life," he said. "These terms pro-life and pro-choice don't really comprehend the complexity of this issue, which is a very private and personal one and one, I think, that contains a lot of grey areas." Ireland has yet to decide the exact wording of the referendum. A cross-party parliamentary committee last month recommended that the state legislature to allow terminations with no restrictions up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy, a more liberal position than some had anticipated. An opinion poll on Friday found that a majority of Irish voters would support a proposal to allow abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy, but that many older voters opposed the change.

Irish Prime Minister says he will campaign for liberalisation of abortion laws

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that India will tour to Ireland ahead of&nbsp;to play two&nbsp;T20I matches against the Irish.

Both games will be played in the Dublin suburb of Malahide, with the first encounter scheduled for&nbsp;Wednesday, June 27&nbsp;and the second match two days later on&nbsp;Friday, June 29.

India will tour to England in the month of July to play&nbsp;three T20I, five Test matches and three ODIs.

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NEWS: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> to tour Ireland for T20Is. 
 
The two T20Is will be held in Dublin on June 27 &amp; June 29, 2018. 
 
More details - <a href="https://t.co/a7Cgcmg8Ty">https://t.co/a7Cgcmg8Ty</a> <a href="https://t.co/6105tP85jl">pic.twitter.com/6105tP85jl</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/951038641916162048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The games will be the first T20 internationals for Ireland head coach Graham Ford, and the South African is relishing the prospect of pitting his wits against such high profile opposition.

&quot;It&#39;s fantastic news for the lads and fans alike,&quot; said Ford, who only took the reins of the Irish side last month.

&quot;The matches will, of course, be a huge challenge for the team, but what an opportunity for everyone to showcase their talents in front of a huge audience, both at the games and live on television,&quot; added the 57-year-old former South Africa head coach.

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It&#39;s official! <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a> is coming and playing <a href="https://twitter.com/Irelandcricket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Irelandcricket</a> in two T20I matches in <a href="https://twitter.com/MalahideCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MalahideCC</a> this June!!!<a href="https://t.co/Ef9GmtHJTr">https://t.co/Ef9GmtHJTr</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BackingGreen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BackingGreen</a>
&mdash; Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Irelandcricket/status/951040715890610176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I&#39;m sure the players will respond positively to the occasion with the added incentive of knowing eye-catching displays could result in a possible IPL contract,&quot; said Ford.

&quot;We haven&#39;t played our best cricket in the format in recent years which is reflected in the rankings, but what better time to start climbing the ladder again.

&quot;We have a number of players ideally suited to the short-form and on home soil, it&#39;s a great opportunity to cause a shock or two,&quot; added Ford.

&nbsp;

India and Ireland will play two T20I matches in Dublin on June 27 and 29 respectively

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that India will tour to Ireland ahead of to play two T20I matches against the Irish. Both games will be played in the Dublin suburb of Malahide, with the first encounter scheduled for Wednesday, June 27 and the second match two days later on Friday, June 29. India will tour to England in the month of July to play three T20I, five Test matches and three ODIs. NEWS: #TeamIndia to tour Ireland for T20Is. The two T20Is will be held in Dublin on June 27 & June 29, 2018. More details - https://t.co/a7Cgcmg8Ty pic.twitter.com/6105tP85jl — BCCI (@BCCI) January 10, 2018 × The games will be the first T20 internationals for Ireland head coach Graham Ford, and the South African is relishing the prospect of pitting his wits against such high profile opposition. "It's fantastic news for the lads and fans alike," said Ford, who only took the reins of the Irish side last month. "The matches will, of course, be a huge challenge for the team, but what an opportunity for everyone to showcase their talents in front of a huge audience, both at the games and live on television," added the 57-year-old former South Africa head coach. It's official! @BCCI is coming and playing @Irelandcricket in two T20I matches in @MalahideCC this June!!!https://t.co/Ef9GmtHJTr#BackingGreen — Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) January 10, 2018 × "I'm sure the players will respond positively to the occasion with the added incentive of knowing eye-catching displays could result in a possible IPL contract," said Ford. "We haven't played our best cricket in the format in recent years which is reflected in the rankings, but what better time to start climbing the ladder again. "We have a number of players ideally suited to the short-form and on home soil, it's a great opportunity to cause a shock or two," added Ford.

India to tour Ireland in June confirms BCCI

EU President Donald Tusk warned that talks on a post-Brexit trade deal and transition period would be even more difficult than a hard-won agreement on divorce terms that was sealed on Friday.

&quot;Let us remember that the most difficult challenge is still ahead. We all know that breaking up is hard but breaking up and building a new relation is much harder,&quot; Tusk said.

Issuing guidelines for the talks ahead, Tusk said Britain will have to follow all EU laws, including new ones, during the two-year transition period London has requested to reassure businesses.

He said it must also respect budgetary commitments and judicial oversight during a transition in which the remaining 27 European Union member countries continue to meet and make decisions without Britain.

In a sign of the challenges ahead, the former Polish premier said: &quot;We need more clarity on how the UK sees our future relation after it has left the single market.&quot;&nbsp;

He warned that time was of the essence before Britain&#39;s scheduled withdrawal from the bloc on 29 March 2019.

&quot;So much time has been devoted to the easiest part of the task. Now to negotiate a transitional arrangement and the framework for our future relationship we have de facto less than a year,&quot; he said.

The first phase of negotiations began 29 June, about a year after Britain&#39;s shock vote to leave the bloc, and finally wrapped up when British Prime Minister Theresa May rushed to Brussels early Friday.&nbsp;

The European Commission, the EU executive, said it &quot;recommends sufficient progress&quot; had been made by Britain on separation issues including the Irish border, Britain&#39;s divorce bill, and citizens rights.

The agreement paves the way for EU leaders at a summit on December 14-15 to open the second phase of Brexit negotiations, covering trade talks and a transition period.

Britain voted in June 2016 to become the first state to leave the EU, after more than four decades of membership, but the talks have been slow moving and often acrimonious so far.

'So much time has been devoted to the easiest part of the task. Now to negotiate a transitional arrangement and the framework for our future relationship we have de facto less than a year,' Donald Tusk said

EU President Donald Tusk warned that talks on a post-Brexit trade deal and transition period would be even more difficult than a hard-won agreement on divorce terms that was sealed on Friday. "Let us remember that the most difficult challenge is still ahead. We all know that breaking up is hard but breaking up and building a new relation is much harder," Tusk said. Issuing guidelines for the talks ahead, Tusk said Britain will have to follow all EU laws, including new ones, during the two-year transition period London has requested to reassure businesses. He said it must also respect budgetary commitments and judicial oversight during a transition in which the remaining 27 European Union member countries continue to meet and make decisions without Britain. In a sign of the challenges ahead, the former Polish premier said: "We need more clarity on how the UK sees our future relation after it has left the single market." He warned that time was of the essence before Britain's scheduled withdrawal from the bloc on 29 March 2019. "So much time has been devoted to the easiest part of the task. Now to negotiate a transitional arrangement and the framework for our future relationship we have de facto less than a year," he said. The first phase of negotiations began 29 June, about a year after Britain's shock vote to leave the bloc, and finally wrapped up when British Prime Minister Theresa May rushed to Brussels early Friday. The European Commission, the EU executive, said it "recommends sufficient progress" had been made by Britain on separation issues including the Irish border, Britain's divorce bill, and citizens rights. The agreement paves the way for EU leaders at a summit on December 14-15 to open the second phase of Brexit negotiations, covering trade talks and a transition period. Britain voted in June 2016 to become the first state to leave the EU, after more than four decades of membership, but the talks have been slow moving and often acrimonious so far.

EU's Tusk says 'most difficult challenge' ahead in Brexit talks

The European Commission said on Friday enough progress had been made in Brexit negotiations with Britain to allow a second phase of talks on future relations to begin, ending an impasse over the status of the Irish border.

The Commission gave its verdict in a statement after intense talks, which resulted in British Prime Minister Theresa May taking an early-morning flight to Brussels to announce the deal alongside Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Commission&#39;s recommendation that sufficient progress has been made will now go to the European Union summit of leaders taking place next week.&nbsp;

&quot;Prime Minister May has assured me that it has the backing of the UK government. On that basis, I believe we have now made the breakthrough we need. Today&#39;s result is, of course, a compromise,&quot; Juncker told a hastily-arranged news conference.

May said she expected a formal agreement to be approved at the summit, which begins on December 14.

&quot;I also look forward to next week&#39;s European Council meeting, where I hope and expect we will be able to get the endorsement of the 27 (member countries) to what is a hard-won agreement in all our interests,&quot; May said.

The commission said it was ready to begin work immediately on phase two talks, which cover a transitional exit period, trade and long-term relations with the bloc.

Moving to talks about trade and a Brexit transition is crucial for the future of May&#39;s premiership, and to keep trade flowing between the world&#39;s biggest trading bloc and its sixth- largest national economy after Britain leaves on March 30, 2019.

May&#39;s key parliamentary ally in Northern Ireland gave a cautious endorsement of the new terms, four days after 11th-hour objections from Belfast scuppered May&#39;s attempt to sign off on an accord over the Irish border during a lunch in Brussels on Monday.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the border agreement meant there was no way Brexit could lead to a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland - what will become the only land frontier between Britain and the EU after Brexit.

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Will be on <a href="https://twitter.com/morningireland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@morningireland</a> shortly to explain and outline detail of Irish assurances on Brexit deal - very good outcome for everyone on the island of Ireland - no Hard Border guaranteed!
&mdash; Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) <a href="https://twitter.com/simoncoveney/status/939026242304540672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Very good outcome for everyone on the island of Ireland - no Hard Border guaranteed!,&quot; Coveney said on Twitter.

In the text, Britain agreed that should London and Brussels fail to agree a final Brexit deal, the United Kingdom will maintain &quot;full alignment&quot; with those rules of the internal market and customs union that help to protect north-south cooperation in Ireland.&nbsp;

It said in the absence of a trade deal, no new barriers would develop between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom unless the devolved government in Northern Ireland agree that distinct arrangements are appropriate.&nbsp;

&quot;In all circumstances, the United Kingdom will continue to ensure the same unfettered access for Northern Ireland&#39;s businesses to the whole of the United Kingdom internal market,&quot; it said.

The commission said it was ready to begin work immediately on phase two talks, which cover a transitional exit period, trade and long-term relations with the bloc

The European Commission said on Friday enough progress had been made in Brexit negotiations with Britain to allow a second phase of talks on future relations to begin, ending an impasse over the status of the Irish border. The Commission gave its verdict in a statement after intense talks, which resulted in British Prime Minister Theresa May taking an early-morning flight to Brussels to announce the deal alongside Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The Commission's recommendation that sufficient progress has been made will now go to the European Union summit of leaders taking place next week. "Prime Minister May has assured me that it has the backing of the UK government. On that basis, I believe we have now made the breakthrough we need. Today's result is, of course, a compromise," Juncker told a hastily-arranged news conference. May said she expected a formal agreement to be approved at the summit, which begins on December 14. "I also look forward to next week's European Council meeting, where I hope and expect we will be able to get the endorsement of the 27 (member countries) to what is a hard-won agreement in all our interests," May said. The commission said it was ready to begin work immediately on phase two talks, which cover a transitional exit period, trade and long-term relations with the bloc. Moving to talks about trade and a Brexit transition is crucial for the future of May's premiership, and to keep trade flowing between the world's biggest trading bloc and its sixth- largest national economy after Britain leaves on March 30, 2019. May's key parliamentary ally in Northern Ireland gave a cautious endorsement of the new terms, four days after 11th-hour objections from Belfast scuppered May's attempt to sign off on an accord over the Irish border during a lunch in Brussels on Monday. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the border agreement meant there was no way Brexit could lead to a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland - what will become the only land frontier between Britain and the EU after Brexit. Will be on @morningireland shortly to explain and outline detail of Irish assurances on Brexit deal - very good outcome for everyone on the island of Ireland - no Hard Border guaranteed! — Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) December 8, 2017 × "Very good outcome for everyone on the island of Ireland - no Hard Border guaranteed!," Coveney said on Twitter. In the text, Britain agreed that should London and Brussels fail to agree a final Brexit deal, the United Kingdom will maintain "full alignment" with those rules of the internal market and customs union that help to protect north-south cooperation in Ireland. It said in the absence of a trade deal, no new barriers would develop between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom unless the devolved government in Northern Ireland agree that distinct arrangements are appropriate. "In all circumstances, the United Kingdom will continue to ensure the same unfettered access for Northern Ireland's businesses to the whole of the United Kingdom internal market," it said.

Britain and EU clinch deal to move Brexit talks forward

The United Kingdom and Ireland could reach agreement in hours on how to run their post-Brexit Irish land border, paving the way for a deal that would remove the last obstacle to opening free trade talks with the European Union.

A carefully choreographed attempt to showcase the progress of Brexit talks collapsed at the last minute on December 4 when the Northern Irish party which props up Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s government vetoed a draft deal already agreed with Ireland.

Since then, May has been scrambling to clinch a deal on the new UK-EU land border in Ireland that is acceptable to the European Union, Dublin, her own lawmakers and Northern Ireland&#39;s Democratic Unionist Party, which keeps her government in power.

May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker could meet early on Friday to seal a border deal, the European Commission&#39;s chief spokesman said.

&quot;We are making progress but not yet fully there,&quot; Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. &quot;Talks are continuing throughout the night. Early morning meeting possible.&quot;

A spokesman for PM May said Brexit discussions were ongoing while a senior Irish official that talks were moving swiftly and that a deal was possible in hours.

&quot;It is moving quite quickly at the moment,&quot; the Irish official told a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event in Brussels. &quot;I think we are going to work over the next couple of hours with the UK government to close this off. I say hours because I think we are very close.&quot;

Moving to talks about trade and a Brexit transition is crucial for the future of May&#39;s premiership, and to keep trade flowing between the world&rsquo;s biggest trading bloc and it&#39;s sixth largest national economy after Britain leaves on March 29, 2019.

But the EU will only move to trade talks if there is enough progress on three key issues: the money Britain must pay to the EU; rights for EU citizens in Britain and British citizens in the EU; and how to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

Brexit deal?

As speculation swirled about whether London, Dublin and Brussels were about to clinch a border deal, European Council President Donald Tusk&#39;s office said he would brief reporters at 0650 GMT on Friday before departing for Hungary.

The EU says May has an effective deadline of Sunday night if she wants to seal a deal and hope to have agreement on trade talks in time for the EU summit on Dec. 14-15.

All sides say they want to avoid a return to a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British-ruled province of Northern Ireland, which might upset the peace established after decades of violence.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) insists that Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, must leave the EU in the same way as the rest of the United Kingdom.

To clinch a deal, though, May must ensure she has the support of the DUP, whose leader told her bluntly on Monday that it would not support her minority government&#39;s legislation unless the Irish border draft deal was changed.

She must also convince her divided Conservative Party that the deal she makes is acceptable.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a leader of the Brexit campaign, insisted the whole of the United Kingdom must &quot;take back control&quot; when it left the EU.

&quot;Whatever way we devise for getting onto the body of the (Brexit) talks, it&#39;s got to be consistent with the whole of the United Kingdom taking back control of our laws, of our borders and of our cash,&quot; Johnson told reporters.

The United Kingdom and Ireland could reach agreement in hours on how to run their post-Brexit Irish land border, paving the way for a deal that would remove the last obstacle to opening free trade talks with the European Union

The United Kingdom and Ireland could reach agreement in hours on how to run their post-Brexit Irish land border, paving the way for a deal that would remove the last obstacle to opening free trade talks with the European Union. A carefully choreographed attempt to showcase the progress of Brexit talks collapsed at the last minute on December 4 when the Northern Irish party which props up Prime Minister Theresa May's government vetoed a draft deal already agreed with Ireland. Since then, May has been scrambling to clinch a deal on the new UK-EU land border in Ireland that is acceptable to the European Union, Dublin, her own lawmakers and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which keeps her government in power. May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker could meet early on Friday to seal a border deal, the European Commission's chief spokesman said. "We are making progress but not yet fully there," Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. "Talks are continuing throughout the night. Early morning meeting possible." A spokesman for PM May said Brexit discussions were ongoing while a senior Irish official that talks were moving swiftly and that a deal was possible in hours. "It is moving quite quickly at the moment," the Irish official told a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event in Brussels. "I think we are going to work over the next couple of hours with the UK government to close this off. I say hours because I think we are very close." Moving to talks about trade and a Brexit transition is crucial for the future of May's premiership, and to keep trade flowing between the world’s biggest trading bloc and it's sixth largest national economy after Britain leaves on March 29, 2019. But the EU will only move to trade talks if there is enough progress on three key issues: the money Britain must pay to the EU; rights for EU citizens in Britain and British citizens in the EU; and how to avoid a hard border with Ireland. Brexit deal? As speculation swirled about whether London, Dublin and Brussels were about to clinch a border deal, European Council President Donald Tusk's office said he would brief reporters at 0650 GMT on Friday before departing for Hungary. The EU says May has an effective deadline of Sunday night if she wants to seal a deal and hope to have agreement on trade talks in time for the EU summit on Dec. 14-15. All sides say they want to avoid a return to a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British-ruled province of Northern Ireland, which might upset the peace established after decades of violence. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) insists that Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, must leave the EU in the same way as the rest of the United Kingdom. To clinch a deal, though, May must ensure she has the support of the DUP, whose leader told her bluntly on Monday that it would not support her minority government's legislation unless the Irish border draft deal was changed. She must also convince her divided Conservative Party that the deal she makes is acceptable. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a leader of the Brexit campaign, insisted the whole of the United Kingdom must "take back control" when it left the EU. "Whatever way we devise for getting onto the body of the (Brexit) talks, it's got to be consistent with the whole of the United Kingdom taking back control of our laws, of our borders and of our cash," Johnson told reporters.

Brexit border deal possible in 'hours' as talks go down to the wire

EU President Donald Tusk said Monday that a deal to unblock stalled divorce talks between the European Union and Britain was closer than ever after a breakthrough on the thorny topic of Ireland.

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Tell me why I like Mondays! Encouraged after my phone call with Taoiseach <a href="https://twitter.com/campaignforleo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@campaignforleo</a> on progress on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brexit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Brexit</a> issue of Ireland. Getting closer to sufficient progress at December <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EUCO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EUCO</a>.
&mdash; Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) <a href="https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/937663925482590208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Tell me why I like Mondays!&quot; Tusk, a former Polish president, said on his Twitter account, in an apparent reference to the 1979 hit &quot;I don`t like Mondays&quot;, sung by the Boomtown Rats, fronted by Bob Geldof.

&quot;Encouraged after my phone call with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on progress on Brexit issue of Ireland. Getting closer to sufficient progress at December (EU summit),&quot; Tusk said.

Varadkar later retweeted Tusk&#39;s message on his own Twitter account. He was due to give a statement later Monday.

The EU had set Monday as the last deadline for Britain to make sufficient progress on three key Brexit divorce issues - Northern Ireland, its exit bill and the rights of EU citizens living in Britain - in order to move on to trade talks at a summit on December 14.

Tusk sent his tweet just hours before sitting down for talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, which follows a lunch between May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

EU President Donald Tusk said on Monday that a deal to unblock stalled divorce talks between the European Union and Britain was closer than ever after a breakthrough on the thorny topic of Ireland

EU President Donald Tusk said Monday that a deal to unblock stalled divorce talks between the European Union and Britain was closer than ever after a breakthrough on the thorny topic of Ireland. Tell me why I like Mondays! Encouraged after my phone call with Taoiseach @campaignforleo on progress on #Brexit issue of Ireland. Getting closer to sufficient progress at December #EUCO. — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) December 4, 2017 × "Tell me why I like Mondays!" Tusk, a former Polish president, said on his Twitter account, in an apparent reference to the 1979 hit "I don`t like Mondays", sung by the Boomtown Rats, fronted by Bob Geldof. "Encouraged after my phone call with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on progress on Brexit issue of Ireland. Getting closer to sufficient progress at December (EU summit)," Tusk said. Varadkar later retweeted Tusk's message on his own Twitter account. He was due to give a statement later Monday. The EU had set Monday as the last deadline for Britain to make sufficient progress on three key Brexit divorce issues - Northern Ireland, its exit bill and the rights of EU citizens living in Britain - in order to move on to trade talks at a summit on December 14. Tusk sent his tweet just hours before sitting down for talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, which follows a lunch between May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

'Getting closer' to Brexit divorce deal: EU's Tusk

Ireland and Britain remained at odds on Monday on how to progress talks on the Irish border with a week to go before London could face failure in persuading European Union leaders to open trade talks at a December Brexit summit.

The EU handed Prime Minister Theresa May a 10-day &quot;absolute deadline&quot; on Friday to improve her divorce terms and meet three key conditions, including on the border between EU-member Ireland and Britain`s province of Northern Ireland.

Before it can sign off on the first phase of talks, the Irish government wants Britain to spell out in writing how it intends to make good on its commitment that the 500-km (300-mile) border will remain as seamless post-Brexit as it is today.

Dublin and EU officials say the best way to avoid a &quot;hard border&quot; is to keep regulations the same north and south and that this needs to be agreed in phase one, but a spokesman for May reiterated on Monday that a solution can only be concluded in the second phase of talks.

&quot;We remain firmly committed to avoiding any physical infrastructure but the secretary of state (Brexit minister David Davis) was also clear that we will only be able to conclude them finally in the context of the future relationship,&quot; he told reporters.

May&#39;s spokesman repeated that the whole of the United Kingdom will leave the EU&#39;s single market and customs union but Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said it seemed impossible to Dublin that some form of the hard border could be avoided if there are diverging regulatory regimes north and south.

&quot;It&#39;s simply not credible to say on the one hand that we are going to have a frictionless border and at the same time that all of Britain, including Northern Ireland, is going to leave the customs union, the single market without giving any reassurance on the avoidance of regulatory divergence,&quot; he told national broadcaster RTE.

With the possibility of Ireland vetoing progress on the talks dominating some newspaper front pages in Britain, Coveney added that Dublin would not need to use its veto if it remained dissatisfied since it has the backing of all other EU states.

&quot;We don&#39;t need to use a veto because we have complete solidarity on this issue. It is clear to us that if there is not progress on the Irish border, we will not be moving onto phase two in December and that was reinforced to me as late as last Friday by very senior EU leaders,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Before it can sign off on the first phase of talks, the Irish government wants Britain to spell out in writing how it intends to make good on its commitment that the 500-km (300-mile) border will remain as seamless post-Brexit as it is today

Ireland and Britain remained at odds on Monday on how to progress talks on the Irish border with a week to go before London could face failure in persuading European Union leaders to open trade talks at a December Brexit summit. The EU handed Prime Minister Theresa May a 10-day "absolute deadline" on Friday to improve her divorce terms and meet three key conditions, including on the border between EU-member Ireland and Britain`s province of Northern Ireland. Before it can sign off on the first phase of talks, the Irish government wants Britain to spell out in writing how it intends to make good on its commitment that the 500-km (300-mile) border will remain as seamless post-Brexit as it is today. Dublin and EU officials say the best way to avoid a "hard border" is to keep regulations the same north and south and that this needs to be agreed in phase one, but a spokesman for May reiterated on Monday that a solution can only be concluded in the second phase of talks. "We remain firmly committed to avoiding any physical infrastructure but the secretary of state (Brexit minister David Davis) was also clear that we will only be able to conclude them finally in the context of the future relationship," he told reporters. May's spokesman repeated that the whole of the United Kingdom will leave the EU's single market and customs union but Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said it seemed impossible to Dublin that some form of the hard border could be avoided if there are diverging regulatory regimes north and south. "It's simply not credible to say on the one hand that we are going to have a frictionless border and at the same time that all of Britain, including Northern Ireland, is going to leave the customs union, the single market without giving any reassurance on the avoidance of regulatory divergence," he told national broadcaster RTE. With the possibility of Ireland vetoing progress on the talks dominating some newspaper front pages in Britain, Coveney added that Dublin would not need to use its veto if it remained dissatisfied since it has the backing of all other EU states. "We don't need to use a veto because we have complete solidarity on this issue. It is clear to us that if there is not progress on the Irish border, we will not be moving onto phase two in December and that was reinforced to me as late as last Friday by very senior EU leaders," he said.

Britain, Ireland at odds on border as Brexit deadline nears

Schools were closed Monday as Ireland braced for an &quot;unprecedented storm&quot;, with authorities warning that violent winds, rain and storm surges could pose a risk to life.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/ireland-braces-for-worst-atlantic-storm-ophelia-6054">Ophelia, the largest hurricane ever recorded</a> so far east in the Atlantic Ocean, was downgraded to a storm before it hit the Irish coast but the Met Eireann national weather service warned people to remain indoors.

&quot;Ex-hurricane Ophelia is forecast to track directly over Ireland during daytime today. Violent and destructive gusts are forecast with all areas at risk,&quot; the service said early Monday.

It warned of &quot;heavy rain and storm surges along some coasts will result in flooding. There is a potential risk to lives&quot;.

The education ministry said &quot;all schools, colleges and other educational institutions&quot; would be closed on Monday, after official advice on what it called an &quot;unprecedented storm&quot;.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Sunday that defence forces would be deployed to areas due to be hit by the storm.

Cork airport in the southwest cancelled a number of flights. Speed restrictions were placed on trains, and some lines in the south were cancelled.&nbsp;

Government offices were also closed across the country.

Met Eireann issued a nationwide &quot;status red&quot; alert, while a less serious amber wind warning has been issued for Northern Ireland during the afternoon.

&quot;By the time Ophelia reaches our latitudes, she will be weakening and will be an ex-hurricane,&quot; said Steve Ramsdale, chief forecaster at Britain&#39;s Met Office national weather service.

&quot;However, Ex-Ophelia will be bringing some significant impacts to Northern Ireland and western and northern Britain on Monday and Tuesday.&quot;

Scotland, Wales and parts of England were under yellow warnings issued by the Met Office, which forecast &quot;very strong winds&quot; and heavy rain in some areas.

The storm came 30 years to the day of the Great Storm, which ravaged southern England in the early hours of October 16, 1987, leaving 18 people dead.

High Alert

Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the 2017 Atlantic season, which is expected to last until the end of November.

Three major hurricanes -- Harvey, Irma and Maria -- caused catastrophic damage in the Caribbean and the US Gulf Coast.

Meteorologists say Ophelia was the most powerful hurricane recorded so far east in the Atlantic and the first since 1939 to travel so far north.

It was classed Category 3 on Saturday as it passed near Portugal&#39;s Azores islands, which means it packed winds of at least 178 kilometres (110 miles) per hour.

When Ophelia reaches Ireland on Monday it was expected to weaken to a &quot;powerful extra-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds&quot;, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Matt Crofts, a lifesaving manager with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, said the seas could be &quot;particularly dangerous and unpredictable&quot;.

&quot;Stormy conditions may be tempting to watch but big waves can easily knock you off your feet,&quot; he said.

&quot;We understand why people want to experience extreme weather, but it&#39;s not worth risking your life, so we strongly urge people to respect the water and watch from a safe distance.&quot;

Seven of the nine islands in the Azores were put on high alert for the storm&#39;s passage, but it did not cause major damage, authorities told reporters.

In Spain, three people have died in wildfires whipped by strong wind gusts spawned by Hurricane Ophelia.

Six people have also died in wildfires in Portugal, which local authorities said had been exacerbated by drought.

Ophelia, the largest hurricane ever recorded so far east in the Atlantic Ocean, was downgraded to a storm before it hit the Irish coast but the Met Eireann national weather service warned people to remain indoors

Schools were closed Monday as Ireland braced for an "unprecedented storm", with authorities warning that violent winds, rain and storm surges could pose a risk to life. Ophelia, the largest hurricane ever recorded so far east in the Atlantic Ocean, was downgraded to a storm before it hit the Irish coast but the Met Eireann national weather service warned people to remain indoors. "Ex-hurricane Ophelia is forecast to track directly over Ireland during daytime today. Violent and destructive gusts are forecast with all areas at risk," the service said early Monday. It warned of "heavy rain and storm surges along some coasts will result in flooding. There is a potential risk to lives". The education ministry said "all schools, colleges and other educational institutions" would be closed on Monday, after official advice on what it called an "unprecedented storm". Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Sunday that defence forces would be deployed to areas due to be hit by the storm. Cork airport in the southwest cancelled a number of flights. Speed restrictions were placed on trains, and some lines in the south were cancelled. Government offices were also closed across the country. Met Eireann issued a nationwide "status red" alert, while a less serious amber wind warning has been issued for Northern Ireland during the afternoon. "By the time Ophelia reaches our latitudes, she will be weakening and will be an ex-hurricane," said Steve Ramsdale, chief forecaster at Britain's Met Office national weather service. "However, Ex-Ophelia will be bringing some significant impacts to Northern Ireland and western and northern Britain on Monday and Tuesday." Scotland, Wales and parts of England were under yellow warnings issued by the Met Office, which forecast "very strong winds" and heavy rain in some areas. The storm came 30 years to the day of the Great Storm, which ravaged southern England in the early hours of October 16, 1987, leaving 18 people dead. High Alert Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the 2017 Atlantic season, which is expected to last until the end of November. Three major hurricanes -- Harvey, Irma and Maria -- caused catastrophic damage in the Caribbean and the US Gulf Coast. Meteorologists say Ophelia was the most powerful hurricane recorded so far east in the Atlantic and the first since 1939 to travel so far north. It was classed Category 3 on Saturday as it passed near Portugal's Azores islands, which means it packed winds of at least 178 kilometres (110 miles) per hour. When Ophelia reaches Ireland on Monday it was expected to weaken to a "powerful extra-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds", according to the US National Hurricane Center. Matt Crofts, a lifesaving manager with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, said the seas could be "particularly dangerous and unpredictable". "Stormy conditions may be tempting to watch but big waves can easily knock you off your feet," he said. "We understand why people want to experience extreme weather, but it's not worth risking your life, so we strongly urge people to respect the water and watch from a safe distance." Seven of the nine islands in the Azores were put on high alert for the storm's passage, but it did not cause major damage, authorities told reporters. In Spain, three people have died in wildfires whipped by strong wind gusts spawned by Hurricane Ophelia. Six people have also died in wildfires in Portugal, which local authorities said had been exacerbated by drought.

Ireland closes schools as major storm approaches

Northern Ireland&#39;s former deputy first minister and one-time IRA commander Martin McGuinness has died aged 66, his Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said on Tuesday.

McGuinness had resigned from politics in January, citing a serious illness and a breakdown in relations with the rival Democratic Unionist Party.

&quot;It is with deep regret and sadness that we have learnt of the death of our friend and comrade Martin McGuinness who passed away in Derry during the night,&quot; Sinn Fein said in a statement.

The BBC said he had died of a rare heart condition.

Sinn Fein refused to appoint a replacement for McGuinness in January due to a row with the DUP, its partner in a power-sharing government set up to bring peace to the province.

That triggered local elections in which Sinn Fein made major gains against the pro-British DUP and the two parties are currently deadlocked, meaning that the British government could impose direct rule of Northern Ireland from London.

Ten years ago in May McGuinness had made history by entering a government with his once bitter foe, Ian Paisley of the DUP.

The decision to share power was a key part of the peace process in Northern Ireland, which endured three decades of violence in which more than 3,500 people died.

McGuinness was a commander in the IRA paramilitary group that fought for the province to leave Britain and join the Republic of Ireland to the south.

In a memorable gesture that would once have been unimaginable, he shook hands with Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Belfast in 2012.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams called his former colleague a &quot;passionate republican who worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation and for the re-unification of his country.&nbsp;

&quot;Throughout his life Martin showed great determination, dignity and humility and it was no different during his short illness,&quot; he said in a statement.

McGuinness was born in 1950 in Derry, on the province&#39;s northern coast, and grew up in the city when it was riven by sectarian bloodshed.

He became involved in the civil rights movement as a teenager and rapidly rose through the ranks of the IRA.

He was second in command at the time of Bloody Sunday in 1972, when British soldiers shot 26 unarmed republican protesters in Derry, killing 13 of them.

He served prison time for IRA-related activities, but later became a peacemaker as he negotiated a deal with loyalists and the British government.

McGuinness became Northern Ireland&#39;s deputy first minister in 2007 working alongside former adversary Paisley, who was first minister.

Paisley&#39;s son Kyle tweeted that he was &quot;very sorry to hear about the passing of Martin McGuinness. Look back with pleasure on the remarkable year he and my father spent in office together.&quot;

More recently, he served alongside first ministers Peter Robinson and then Arlene Foster until he quit in January over an energy policy scandal.

Northern Ireland&#39;s Martin McGuinness, who died on Tuesday aged 66, is a former paramilitary who became a key behind-the-scenes negotiator for the peace process.

McGuinness, who resigned from politics in January due to ill-health and a breakdown in relations with the rival Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), died during the night, his Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said.

He was a commander of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during its bloody campaign against British rule of the province, in which 3,500 people died in three decades of violence.

But the senior Sinn Fein member also helped negotiate the landmark Good Friday Agreement in 1998 for sharing power with one-time bitter foes the DUP.

The man described as a ruthless commander became a statesman who rubbed shoulders with prime ministers and presidents, as well as Queen Elizabeth II.

He said recently he hoped in the future to be &quot;an ambassador for peace, unity and reconciliation&quot;.

&quot;Reconciliation, I have always believed, is the next vital stage of the peace process,&quot; he said.

&quot;My record of reaching out, whether it be to Queen Elizabeth -- and her record of reaching out to me on several occasions -- my visits to the Somme, to Flanders field, have not been reciprocated by the DUP and that is a particular disappointment to me.&quot;

In his position as deputy first minister, McGuinness shook hands with the queen, whose authority in Northern Ireland he does not recognise, during her visit there in 2012.

&#39;Goodbye and God bless&#39;

He wished the monarch well in Irish, in a phrase that translates as: &quot;Goodbye and God bless&quot;.

McGuinness was born in 1950 in Londonderry in Northern Ireland, and as a teenager became involved in the civil rights movement.

He joined socialists Sinn Fein, now the main Catholic republican party, in 1970.

He became a member of the IRA and had risen to its second-in-command in Derry by the time of &quot;Bloody Sunday&quot;, the notorious day on January 30, 1972, when British soldier shot dead 13 unarmed civil rights protesters.

Although McGuinness escaped detention by the British in Northern Ireland, he was jailed in the Republic of Ireland in 1973 after being caught with 250 pounds (113 kilogrammes) of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition in a car.

At his trial, where he received a six-month sentence, he proudly declared his membership of the IRA, saying: &quot;We have fought against the killing of our people. I am a member of Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) and very, very proud of it.&quot;

Years later in May 2001, after McGuinness became a politician, he spoke of his membership of the IRA with a level of honesty that few of his Sinn Fein colleagues have matched and which has removed some of the toxicity from his past.

Peace negotiator

McGuinness moved into politics relatively early, becoming one of five Sinn Fein members elected to the short-lived Northern Ireland assembly in 1982.

He was involved in secret talks with British officials between 1990 and 1993, and after the IRA ceasefire of 1994, became Sinn Fein&#39;s chief negotiator in the painstaking talks that led to the Good Friday peace accords.

When a power-sharing government was established in 2007, McGuinness was appointed deputy first minister, working closely with First Minister Ian Paisley, the firebrand Protestant preacher who led the staunchly pro-British DUP.

The two men surprised many by striking up a warm relationship, and McGuinness continued good working ties with Paisley&#39;s successor, Peter Robinson.

But he fell out with Robinson&#39;s successor Arlene Foster, leading to his resignation in January.

McGuinness had said his ill-health, which required a period of absence from his role, was not the reason he resigned but said he was quitting politics to try to recover.

Sinn Fein refused to appoint a replacement for McGuinness due to a row with the DUP.

That triggered local elections in which Sinn Fein made major gains against the DUP and the two parties are currently deadlocked, meaning that the British government could impose direct rule of Northern Ireland from London.

McGuinness enjoys fly-fishing, and his condemnation of violence in his soft Derry accent have earned him death threats from the paramilitaries he once led.

The father of four has repeatedly condemned attacks by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process, and his outrage at the murder of two British soldiers in Northern Ireland in 2009 was seen as a bold step.

(AFP)

The BBC said Martin McGuinness, 66, had died of a rare heart condition

Northern Ireland's former deputy first minister and one-time IRA commander Martin McGuinness has died aged 66, his Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said on Tuesday. McGuinness had resigned from politics in January, citing a serious illness and a breakdown in relations with the rival Democratic Unionist Party. "It is with deep regret and sadness that we have learnt of the death of our friend and comrade Martin McGuinness who passed away in Derry during the night," Sinn Fein said in a statement. The BBC said he had died of a rare heart condition. Sinn Fein refused to appoint a replacement for McGuinness in January due to a row with the DUP, its partner in a power-sharing government set up to bring peace to the province. That triggered local elections in which Sinn Fein made major gains against the pro-British DUP and the two parties are currently deadlocked, meaning that the British government could impose direct rule of Northern Ireland from London. Ten years ago in May McGuinness had made history by entering a government with his once bitter foe, Ian Paisley of the DUP. The decision to share power was a key part of the peace process in Northern Ireland, which endured three decades of violence in which more than 3,500 people died. McGuinness was a commander in the IRA paramilitary group that fought for the province to leave Britain and join the Republic of Ireland to the south. In a memorable gesture that would once have been unimaginable, he shook hands with Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Belfast in 2012. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams called his former colleague a "passionate republican who worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation and for the re-unification of his country. "Throughout his life Martin showed great determination, dignity and humility and it was no different during his short illness," he said in a statement. McGuinness was born in 1950 in Derry, on the province's northern coast, and grew up in the city when it was riven by sectarian bloodshed. He became involved in the civil rights movement as a teenager and rapidly rose through the ranks of the IRA. He was second in command at the time of Bloody Sunday in 1972, when British soldiers shot 26 unarmed republican protesters in Derry, killing 13 of them. He served prison time for IRA-related activities, but later became a peacemaker as he negotiated a deal with loyalists and the British government. McGuinness became Northern Ireland's deputy first minister in 2007 working alongside former adversary Paisley, who was first minister. Paisley's son Kyle tweeted that he was "very sorry to hear about the passing of Martin McGuinness. Look back with pleasure on the remarkable year he and my father spent in office together." More recently, he served alongside first ministers Peter Robinson and then Arlene Foster until he quit in January over an energy policy scandal. Northern Ireland's Martin McGuinness, who died on Tuesday aged 66, is a former paramilitary who became a key behind-the-scenes negotiator for the peace process. McGuinness, who resigned from politics in January due to ill-health and a breakdown in relations with the rival Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), died during the night, his Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said. He was a commander of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during its bloody campaign against British rule of the province, in which 3,500 people died in three decades of violence. But the senior Sinn Fein member also helped negotiate the landmark Good Friday Agreement in 1998 for sharing power with one-time bitter foes the DUP. The man described as a ruthless commander became a statesman who rubbed shoulders with prime ministers and presidents, as well as Queen Elizabeth II. He said recently he hoped in the future to be "an ambassador for peace, unity and reconciliation". "Reconciliation, I have always believed, is the next vital stage of the peace process," he said. "My record of reaching out, whether it be to Queen Elizabeth -- and her record of reaching out to me on several occasions -- my visits to the Somme, to Flanders field, have not been reciprocated by the DUP and that is a particular disappointment to me." In his position as deputy first minister, McGuinness shook hands with the queen, whose authority in Northern Ireland he does not recognise, during her visit there in 2012. 'Goodbye and God bless' He wished the monarch well in Irish, in a phrase that translates as: "Goodbye and God bless". McGuinness was born in 1950 in Londonderry in Northern Ireland, and as a teenager became involved in the civil rights movement. He joined socialists Sinn Fein, now the main Catholic republican party, in 1970. He became a member of the IRA and had risen to its second-in-command in Derry by the time of "Bloody Sunday", the notorious day on January 30, 1972, when British soldier shot dead 13 unarmed civil rights protesters. Although McGuinness escaped detention by the British in Northern Ireland, he was jailed in the Republic of Ireland in 1973 after being caught with 250 pounds (113 kilogrammes) of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition in a car. At his trial, where he received a six-month sentence, he proudly declared his membership of the IRA, saying: "We have fought against the killing of our people. I am a member of Oglaigh na hEireann (the IRA) and very, very proud of it." Years later in May 2001, after McGuinness became a politician, he spoke of his membership of the IRA with a level of honesty that few of his Sinn Fein colleagues have matched and which has removed some of the toxicity from his past. Peace negotiator McGuinness moved into politics relatively early, becoming one of five Sinn Fein members elected to the short-lived Northern Ireland assembly in 1982. He was involved in secret talks with British officials between 1990 and 1993, and after the IRA ceasefire of 1994, became Sinn Fein's chief negotiator in the painstaking talks that led to the Good Friday peace accords. When a power-sharing government was established in 2007, McGuinness was appointed deputy first minister, working closely with First Minister Ian Paisley, the firebrand Protestant preacher who led the staunchly pro-British DUP. The two men surprised many by striking up a warm relationship, and McGuinness continued good working ties with Paisley's successor, Peter Robinson. But he fell out with Robinson's successor Arlene Foster, leading to his resignation in January. McGuinness had said his ill-health, which required a period of absence from his role, was not the reason he resigned but said he was quitting politics to try to recover. Sinn Fein refused to appoint a replacement for McGuinness due to a row with the DUP. That triggered local elections in which Sinn Fein made major gains against the DUP and the two parties are currently deadlocked, meaning that the British government could impose direct rule of Northern Ireland from London. McGuinness enjoys fly-fishing, and his condemnation of violence in his soft Derry accent have earned him death threats from the paramilitaries he once led. The father of four has repeatedly condemned attacks by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process, and his outrage at the murder of two British soldiers in Northern Ireland in 2009 was seen as a bold step. (AFP)

Former IRA commander-turned deputy first minister dies

Ireland&#39;s Parliament battled through an ill-tempered debate to vote in favour of appealing a European Commission ruling ordering the country to collect billions of euros in unpaid taxes from tech giant Apple. 
 
Parliament voted 93-36 yesterday to support the appeal against the ruling that Ireland must collect 13 billion euros ($15 billion) from Apple. 
 
The decision followed a heated debate in Dublin during which Prime Minister Enda Kenny asserted the EU ruling &quot;could not be allowed to stand&quot;, insisting Ireland had &quot;played by the rules&quot; when it came to its tax treatment of Apple. 
 
The Commission ruled last week that Apple had received favourable tax terms that amounted to state aid -- illegal under its rules. 
 
Ireland&#39;s decision to challenge the ruling reflects fears that accepting the windfall could scare away international investment, undermining a reputation for business-friendliness that is a cornerstone of the country&#39;s economy. 
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<h5>The Commission&#39;s ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a a="" against="" apple="" class="twitter popup" could="" damage="" economic="" from="" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The Commission" hugely="" important="" met="" move="" ruling="" s="" that="" the="" ties.="" transatlantic="" warning="" was="" washington="" with="">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Kenny has refused to distribute the 150-page European Commission report to lawmakers, citing &quot;commercial sensitivities&quot;. 
 
Gerry Adams, leader of the&nbsp;opposition party Sinn Fein, spoke out against the appeal. 
 
&quot;We want companies like Apple in Ireland,&quot; he said. &quot;But this doesn&#39;t mean one should turn a blind eye to tax evasion or avoidance.&quot; 
 
The Commission&#39;s ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties. 
 
Ireland&#39;s two main parties, Kenny&#39;s Fine Gael and the opposition Fianna Fail, which supports the minority government, backed the appeal. 
 
But Sinn Fein, which increased its support in elections earlier this year on an anti-austerity platform, vehemently argued that to do so meant &quot;defending the indefensible&quot;. 
 
The party&#39;s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple had operated &quot;a sort of untaxed Bermuda Triangle&quot; facilitated by Ireland. 
 
Opinion polls reflected the divisive nature of the ruling with many people arguing in favour of Apple paying the back taxes. 
 
The government claims Apple has paid the full amount due to the Irish state from 2004 to 2014 and denies it gave it &quot;selective treatment&quot;. 
 
The European Commission meanwhile says Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

The parliament voted 93-36 yesterday to support the appeal against the ruling that Ireland must collect 13 billion euros from the tech giant

Ireland's Parliament battled through an ill-tempered debate to vote in favour of appealing a European Commission ruling ordering the country to collect billions of euros in unpaid taxes from tech giant Apple. Parliament voted 93-36 yesterday to support the appeal against the ruling that Ireland must collect 13 billion euros ($15 billion) from Apple. The decision followed a heated debate in Dublin during which Prime Minister Enda Kenny asserted the EU ruling "could not be allowed to stand", insisting Ireland had "played by the rules" when it came to its tax treatment of Apple. The Commission ruled last week that Apple had received favourable tax terms that amounted to state aid -- illegal under its rules. Ireland's decision to challenge the ruling reflects fears that accepting the windfall could scare away international investment, undermining a reputation for business-friendliness that is a cornerstone of the country's economy. The Commission's ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties. Kenny has refused to distribute the 150-page European Commission report to lawmakers, citing "commercial sensitivities". Gerry Adams, leader of the opposition party Sinn Fein, spoke out against the appeal. "We want companies like Apple in Ireland," he said. "But this doesn't mean one should turn a blind eye to tax evasion or avoidance." The Commission's ruling against Apple was met with a warning from Washington that the move could damage hugely important transatlantic economic ties. Ireland's two main parties, Kenny's Fine Gael and the opposition Fianna Fail, which supports the minority government, backed the appeal. But Sinn Fein, which increased its support in elections earlier this year on an anti-austerity platform, vehemently argued that to do so meant "defending the indefensible". The party's finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said Apple had operated "a sort of untaxed Bermuda Triangle" facilitated by Ireland. Opinion polls reflected the divisive nature of the ruling with many people arguing in favour of Apple paying the back taxes. The government claims Apple has paid the full amount due to the Irish state from 2004 to 2014 and denies it gave it "selective treatment". The European Commission meanwhile says Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million. (AFP)

Ireland backs appeal against Apple tax ruling

Ireland&#39;s fragile minority government meets for crunch talks to resolve a stalemate on Friday after an EU ruling on Apple that has divided the country and undermined a cornerstone of its economic policy. 
 
Ireland needs to decide whether to appeal the ruling to take 13 billion euros ($15 billion) in taxes from the US tech giant, with growing public pressure to use the money to ease the pain of years of austerity. 
 
The money is equivalent to around five percent of Ireland&#39;s gross domestic product last year and almost all of its annual healthcare budget. 
 
Finance Minister Michael Noonan described the landmark European Commission verdict on Tuesday as &quot;bizarre&quot; and vowed to challenge the finding that Ireland had given Apple special treatment. 
 
But an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday that had been expected to fast-track the appeal to the European Court of Justice failed to reach a consensus. 
 
Instead independent ministers in the coalition government have refused to agree, and sought an early recall of parliament to vote on the issue. 
 
The Irish Times newspaper described the EU Commission&#39;s ruling as a &quot;mini-earthquake&quot;, saying that an inability to agree a common strategy could &quot;end with the crumbling of the coalition&quot; and cause early elections. 
 
&#39;Do the right thing&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Ireland&#39;s minority government, led by the Fine Gael party, includes a number of independents and relies on the support of the main opposition Fianna Fail party, which is likely to back an appeal against the EU ruling. 
 
Some in the government believe Ireland cannot afford to undermine its tax policies, one of the main planks of a highly successful inward investment strategy that has consistently attracted the world&#39;s top tech and pharma multinationals over the past three decades. 
 
Others believe Ireland should take the money the European Commission says it is owed and spend it on services or build more affordable homes to deal with a housing crisis. 
 
Ireland has two months to lodge an appeal against the ruling. 
 
The concern for government is that public opinion could strengthen against an appeal in the run-up to a tough budget scheduled for October, which will have to deal with the economic fall-out for Ireland from neighbouring Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
Fianna Fail technology spokesman James Lawless said Ireland had to appeal but admitted this would be difficult to explain to voters who wanted the money &quot;gift-wrapped on their doorstep&quot;. 
 
&quot;I would be more interested in preserving Ireland&#39;s sovereign tax status,&quot; he said, accusing the European Commission of interfering in Ireland&#39;s tax affairs. 
 
&quot;Ireland has been caught in the crossfire between the United States and Europe,&quot; he said. 
 
On Thursday, Apple chief Tim Cook turned up the heat further stating his belief that the Irish government &quot;would do the right thing&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

The govt wants to fight an EU verdict saying the tech giant owes the country $15 billion in taxes, but independent ministers disagree

Ireland's fragile minority government meets for crunch talks to resolve a stalemate on Friday after an EU ruling on Apple that has divided the country and undermined a cornerstone of its economic policy. Ireland needs to decide whether to appeal the ruling to take 13 billion euros ($15 billion) in taxes from the US tech giant, with growing public pressure to use the money to ease the pain of years of austerity. The money is equivalent to around five percent of Ireland's gross domestic product last year and almost all of its annual healthcare budget. Finance Minister Michael Noonan described the landmark European Commission verdict on Tuesday as "bizarre" and vowed to challenge the finding that Ireland had given Apple special treatment. But an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday that had been expected to fast-track the appeal to the European Court of Justice failed to reach a consensus. Instead independent ministers in the coalition government have refused to agree, and sought an early recall of parliament to vote on the issue. The Irish Times newspaper described the EU Commission's ruling as a "mini-earthquake", saying that an inability to agree a common strategy could "end with the crumbling of the coalition" and cause early elections. 'Do the right thing' Ireland's minority government, led by the Fine Gael party, includes a number of independents and relies on the support of the main opposition Fianna Fail party, which is likely to back an appeal against the EU ruling. Some in the government believe Ireland cannot afford to undermine its tax policies, one of the main planks of a highly successful inward investment strategy that has consistently attracted the world's top tech and pharma multinationals over the past three decades. Others believe Ireland should take the money the European Commission says it is owed and spend it on services or build more affordable homes to deal with a housing crisis. Ireland has two months to lodge an appeal against the ruling. The concern for government is that public opinion could strengthen against an appeal in the run-up to a tough budget scheduled for October, which will have to deal with the economic fall-out for Ireland from neighbouring Britain's vote to leave the European Union. Fianna Fail technology spokesman James Lawless said Ireland had to appeal but admitted this would be difficult to explain to voters who wanted the money "gift-wrapped on their doorstep". "I would be more interested in preserving Ireland's sovereign tax status," he said, accusing the European Commission of interfering in Ireland's tax affairs. "Ireland has been caught in the crossfire between the United States and Europe," he said. On Thursday, Apple chief Tim Cook turned up the heat further stating his belief that the Irish government "would do the right thing". (AFP)

Apple ruling pushes Irish government to the brink

Ireland manager Martin O&#39;Neill has warned his side to be prepared for a backlash when they take on a smarting Belgium in their European Championship match in Bordeaux on Saturday. 
 
Belgium, who were at number one in the FIFA rankings for the first three months of 2016 and second since then, suffered a 2-0 loss to Italy and slipped to the bottom of Group E. 
 
In contrast, a spirited Ireland side opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw with Sweden. 
 
&quot;Belgium are a really fine side, really fine,&quot; O&#39;Neill told reporters in France. 
 
&quot;Individually they are as talented as any side in the competition. They are very dangerous anyway, but even more so now they are a bit of a wounded animal.&quot; 
 
&quot;They will cause us problems so we have to show the same spirit and determination again and try and play as strongly with the ball as we did the other night.&quot; 
 
&quot;I think overall they have the players (to hurt us). If they are disappointed themselves with not playing well against Italy, they will feel they can rectify it.&quot; 
 
Ireland will conclude their group stage campaign against Italy on June 22. 
(Reuters)

Belgium, who were number one in the FIFA rankings for a few months of 2016, suffered a 2-0 loss to Italy and slipped to the bottom of Group

Ireland manager Martin O'Neill has warned his side to be prepared for a backlash when they take on a smarting Belgium in their European Championship match in Bordeaux on Saturday. Belgium, who were at number one in the FIFA rankings for the first three months of 2016 and second since then, suffered a 2-0 loss to Italy and slipped to the bottom of Group E. In contrast, a spirited Ireland side opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw with Sweden. "Belgium are a really fine side, really fine," O'Neill told reporters in France. "Individually they are as talented as any side in the competition. They are very dangerous anyway, but even more so now they are a bit of a wounded animal." "They will cause us problems so we have to show the same spirit and determination again and try and play as strongly with the ball as we did the other night." "I think overall they have the players (to hurt us). If they are disappointed themselves with not playing well against Italy, they will feel they can rectify it." Ireland will conclude their group stage campaign against Italy on June 22. (Reuters)

O'Neill warns Ireland against 'wounded animal' Belgium

Thierry&nbsp;Henry&#39;s&nbsp;handball&nbsp;sent such shockwaves that barely anyone remembers it was actually William Gallas who scored the infamous goal in France that ruined Ireland&#39;s chances of a World Cup appearance more than six years ago.

On Sunday, Les Bleus face the&nbsp;Irish&nbsp;in Lyon in a Euro 2016 last-16 clash in which the host nation will start as heavy favourites.

In the stands, there is little doubt the&nbsp;Irish&nbsp;fans, who are enjoying growing popularity in France thanks to their good-natured presence in the streets across the country, will outsing the local supporters.

Qualification for a quarter-final against Iceland or England, however, will be decided on the field, where the&nbsp;Irish&nbsp;will take&nbsp;extra&nbsp;motivation&nbsp;from the drama at the Stade de France in 2009.

&quot;It is absolutely (extra&nbsp;motivation), but we&#39;ve got all the&nbsp;motivation&nbsp;in the world here regardless of that, we&#39;ve got a side that are prepared and actually love playing for their country and that&#39;s very, very important. It&#39;s a driving force,&quot; Ireland manager Martin O&#39;Neill told reporters.

His assistant Roy Keane believes the team have the qualities to trouble the French, who have been remarkably quiet on the&nbsp;Henry&nbsp;incident.

&quot;It&#39;s massive game against France who will be red-hot favourites,&quot; he said, adding that Ireland&#39;s goal was to create another bit of history.

Keane hopes Ireland will make the most of their set pieces.

&quot;I&#39;d like to think every time we get the ball in the box their fans will be nervous wrecks,&quot; he said.

France, who have yet to play a full match at their best in the tournament, have only conceded one goal in three matches, a penalty, but the back four have not been really tested.

Coach Didier Deschamps is likely to field the team who beat Romania in the tournament&#39;s curtain-raiser, with striker Olivier Giroud supported by Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet,&nbsp;himself a lethal weapon on set pieces.

France played their last group game on Sunday and will have had three more days to prepare than Ireland, who clinched their qualification with a last-gasp 1-0 win over a depleted Italy team on Wednesday.

&quot;In the past, some teams have had a lot of time to get ready and they were knocked out,&quot; France assistant coach Guy Stephan said.

&quot;You have to find the balance between recovery, preparation and training. It was difficult because at the beginning of the week we did not know who we would face.&quot;

Giroud and defender Adil Rami missed a training session each to nurse minor problems but will be fit for Sunday.

(Reuters)

Ireland looks for vengeance against team that eliminated them from World Cup over 6 years ago

Thierry Henry's handball sent such shockwaves that barely anyone remembers it was actually William Gallas who scored the infamous goal in France that ruined Ireland's chances of a World Cup appearance more than six years ago. On Sunday, Les Bleus face the Irish in Lyon in a Euro 2016 last-16 clash in which the host nation will start as heavy favourites. In the stands, there is little doubt the Irish fans, who are enjoying growing popularity in France thanks to their good-natured presence in the streets across the country, will outsing the local supporters. Qualification for a quarter-final against Iceland or England, however, will be decided on the field, where the Irish will take extra motivation from the drama at the Stade de France in 2009. "It is absolutely (extra motivation), but we've got all the motivation in the world here regardless of that, we've got a side that are prepared and actually love playing for their country and that's very, very important. It's a driving force," Ireland manager Martin O'Neill told reporters. His assistant Roy Keane believes the team have the qualities to trouble the French, who have been remarkably quiet on the Henry incident. "It's massive game against France who will be red-hot favourites," he said, adding that Ireland's goal was to create another bit of history. Keane hopes Ireland will make the most of their set pieces. "I'd like to think every time we get the ball in the box their fans will be nervous wrecks," he said. France, who have yet to play a full match at their best in the tournament, have only conceded one goal in three matches, a penalty, but the back four have not been really tested. Coach Didier Deschamps is likely to field the team who beat Romania in the tournament's curtain-raiser, with striker Olivier Giroud supported by Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet, himself a lethal weapon on set pieces. France played their last group game on Sunday and will have had three more days to prepare than Ireland, who clinched their qualification with a last-gasp 1-0 win over a depleted Italy team on Wednesday. "In the past, some teams have had a lot of time to get ready and they were knocked out," France assistant coach Guy Stephan said. "You have to find the balance between recovery, preparation and training. It was difficult because at the beginning of the week we did not know who we would face." Giroud and defender Adil Rami missed a training session each to nurse minor problems but will be fit for Sunday. (Reuters)

Henry handball gives Irish extra motivation vs France

Host nation France came from behind to beat 10-man Ireland 2-1 and reach the Euro 2016 quarter-finals after forward Antoine Griezmann struck twice in the second half to cancel out Robbie Brady&#39;s second-minute penalty on Sunday. 
 
The French, who celebrated their first knockout-stage win in the competition since winning Euro 2000, were stunned when Paul Pogba gave away a clumsy spot-kick and Brady converted it to score the tournament&#39;s fastest goal at Parc OL. 
 
A disjointed France came to life in the second half as the introduction of winger Kingsley Coman injected pace and bite up front, with Griezmann heading home the equaliser in the 58th minute after a superb cross by Bacary Sagna. 
 
The 25-year-old turned the match on its head three minutes later after Olivier Giroud headed a long ball into his stride for a clinical finish. Ireland had centre back Shane Duffy sent off midway through the second half after he hauled down Griezmann who was through on goal. France will play either England or Iceland for a semi-final place. 
 
(Reuters)

Forward Antoine Griezmann struck twice in the second half to cancel out Robbie Brady's second-minute penalty

Host nation France came from behind to beat 10-man Ireland 2-1 and reach the Euro 2016 quarter-finals after forward Antoine Griezmann struck twice in the second half to cancel out Robbie Brady's second-minute penalty on Sunday. The French, who celebrated their first knockout-stage win in the competition since winning Euro 2000, were stunned when Paul Pogba gave away a clumsy spot-kick and Brady converted it to score the tournament's fastest goal at Parc OL. A disjointed France came to life in the second half as the introduction of winger Kingsley Coman injected pace and bite up front, with Griezmann heading home the equaliser in the 58th minute after a superb cross by Bacary Sagna. The 25-year-old turned the match on its head three minutes later after Olivier Giroud headed a long ball into his stride for a clinical finish. Ireland had centre back Shane Duffy sent off midway through the second half after he hauled down Griezmann who was through on goal. France will play either England or Iceland for a semi-final place. (Reuters)

France enters Euro 2016 last eight with 2-1 win against Ireland

Robbie Brady scored a glorious late winner for Ireland to put them through to the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time with a 1-0 win over Group E winners Italy. 
 
Brady scored his 85th minute headed goal from a pinpoint cross by his Norwich City clubmate Wes Hoolahan, who had just spurned a golden opportunity to seal the well-deserved victory himself. 
 
It delivered Irish football one of its most famous nights against a second-string Italy side, with the three points securing third place in the group and setting up a last-16 tie against hosts France in Lyon on Sunday. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s what dreams are made of. I grew up dreaming about this stage and to go and do it in front of my family is the best feeling in the world,&quot; said Brady, who reckoned that scoring the goal felt like &quot;an out of body&quot; experience. 
 
&quot;All applause is for Wes Hoolahan. He put the ball right on my head. I would have done well to miss it. We rode our luck a couple of times, but we got the result in the end. If we stick together like we did tonight, we can take on anyone.&quot; 
 
With his team already guaranteed to top the group, Antonio Conte made eight changes, with only Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Alessandro Florenzi surviving from the side that started against Sweden. 
 
The Irish began like a team on a mission, full back Seamus Coleman thundering into a tackle in the opening seconds to lay down a marker, and plenty of tough challenges from both sides followed. 
 
Ireland almost took an early lead when Jeff Hendrick created some space at the edge of the box and hit a left-footed piledriver that flew just wide of the top corner. 
 
In the 21st minute, Daryl Murphy met Brady&#39;s outswinging corner with a powerful header, forcing Salvatore Sirigu to make a flying save and tip the ball over the bar for another corner. 
 
Italy had to wait until just before halftime for their first decent chance, Ciro Immobile dragging his shot just wide after a well-worked short free kick. 
 
Moments later the Irish were denied what looked like a clear penalty when James McClean was pushed in the back by Federico Bernardeschi, but referee Ovidiu Hategan turned down their appeals, leaving coach Martin O&#39;Neill incandescent with rage. 
 
Simone Zaza almost broke the deadlock on a rare Italian foray forward with a fizzing shot after the break, but then Ireland dominated almost the entire second half. 
 
With Italy content to soak up the considerable pressure, the Irish mixed up their play, alternating between long balls and short passes, and set pieces continued to be a potent weapon. 
 
The Italians were not content to simply concede, and Lorenzo Insigne came on in the 75th minute to make his first appearance at the Euros. Within two minutes, he had curled an exquisite shot past Darren Randolph only to see it come back off the post. 
 
With 13 minutes left and the Irish tiring, O&#39;Neill threw on playmaker Hoolahan, who netted the goal in Ireland&#39;s 1-1 draw with Sweden, in a last-gasp effort to finally unlock the Italian defence. 
 
He missed a glorious chance to put his side ahead minutes later, shooting straight at Sirigu when he got through one-on-one and it looked as if Ireland were heading for elimination. 
 
Yet he made amends soon after, crossing for Brady to head Ireland into the lead and send the Irish fans into raptures. 
 
When Hategan sounded the final whistle, there were wild celebrations from players, coaching staff and fans alike with Ireland&#39;s Euro dream still very much alive. 
 
&quot;We stuck at it and put in a great performance,&quot; Brady said. &quot;In the end we got the result we deserved. Roll on France!&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

It delivered Irish football one of its most famous nights, with the three points setting up a last-16 tie against France on Sunday

Robbie Brady scored a glorious late winner for Ireland to put them through to the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time with a 1-0 win over Group E winners Italy. Brady scored his 85th minute headed goal from a pinpoint cross by his Norwich City clubmate Wes Hoolahan, who had just spurned a golden opportunity to seal the well-deserved victory himself. It delivered Irish football one of its most famous nights against a second-string Italy side, with the three points securing third place in the group and setting up a last-16 tie against hosts France in Lyon on Sunday. "It's what dreams are made of. I grew up dreaming about this stage and to go and do it in front of my family is the best feeling in the world," said Brady, who reckoned that scoring the goal felt like "an out of body" experience. "All applause is for Wes Hoolahan. He put the ball right on my head. I would have done well to miss it. We rode our luck a couple of times, but we got the result in the end. If we stick together like we did tonight, we can take on anyone." With his team already guaranteed to top the group, Antonio Conte made eight changes, with only Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Alessandro Florenzi surviving from the side that started against Sweden. The Irish began like a team on a mission, full back Seamus Coleman thundering into a tackle in the opening seconds to lay down a marker, and plenty of tough challenges from both sides followed. Ireland almost took an early lead when Jeff Hendrick created some space at the edge of the box and hit a left-footed piledriver that flew just wide of the top corner. In the 21st minute, Daryl Murphy met Brady's outswinging corner with a powerful header, forcing Salvatore Sirigu to make a flying save and tip the ball over the bar for another corner. Italy had to wait until just before halftime for their first decent chance, Ciro Immobile dragging his shot just wide after a well-worked short free kick. Moments later the Irish were denied what looked like a clear penalty when James McClean was pushed in the back by Federico Bernardeschi, but referee Ovidiu Hategan turned down their appeals, leaving coach Martin O'Neill incandescent with rage. Simone Zaza almost broke the deadlock on a rare Italian foray forward with a fizzing shot after the break, but then Ireland dominated almost the entire second half. With Italy content to soak up the considerable pressure, the Irish mixed up their play, alternating between long balls and short passes, and set pieces continued to be a potent weapon. The Italians were not content to simply concede, and Lorenzo Insigne came on in the 75th minute to make his first appearance at the Euros. Within two minutes, he had curled an exquisite shot past Darren Randolph only to see it come back off the post. With 13 minutes left and the Irish tiring, O'Neill threw on playmaker Hoolahan, who netted the goal in Ireland's 1-1 draw with Sweden, in a last-gasp effort to finally unlock the Italian defence. He missed a glorious chance to put his side ahead minutes later, shooting straight at Sirigu when he got through one-on-one and it looked as if Ireland were heading for elimination. Yet he made amends soon after, crossing for Brady to head Ireland into the lead and send the Irish fans into raptures. When Hategan sounded the final whistle, there were wild celebrations from players, coaching staff and fans alike with Ireland's Euro dream still very much alive. "We stuck at it and put in a great performance," Brady said. "In the end we got the result we deserved. Roll on France!" (Reuters)

Euro 2016: Brady's late goal fires Ireland into last-16

Italy are wary of the threat that Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic poses, but they can win Friday&#39;s Euro 2016 match in the same way they defeated Belgium, said midfielder Daniele De Rossi. 
 
The 34-year-old Ibrahimovic, who has scored 62 goals for Sweden, failed to make an impact in his team&#39;s 1-1 draw with Ireland. 
 
De Rossi compared the former Paris St Germain striker to Dutch great Marco van Basten. 
 
&quot;Maybe they have less talent than Belgium so they will probably wait in their half and try to play counterattack with long balls,&quot; De Rossi told reporters in France. 
 
&quot;Ibrahimovic is the best forward since the time of Van Basten, except for Ronaldo, but they are different players. 
 
&quot;We are a little bit scared of his power and his talent but we can beat them the same way that we can beat Belgium with organisation and by working hard on the training pitch.&quot; 
 
Italy, who began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Belgium to top Group E, face Ireland in their final group stage match. 
 
(Reuters)

The 34-year-old Ibrahimovic, who has scored 62 goals for Sweden, failed to make an impact in his team's 1-1 draw with Ireland

Italy are wary of the threat that Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic poses, but they can win Friday's Euro 2016 match in the same way they defeated Belgium, said midfielder Daniele De Rossi. The 34-year-old Ibrahimovic, who has scored 62 goals for Sweden, failed to make an impact in his team's 1-1 draw with Ireland. De Rossi compared the former Paris St Germain striker to Dutch great Marco van Basten. "Maybe they have less talent than Belgium so they will probably wait in their half and try to play counterattack with long balls," De Rossi told reporters in France. "Ibrahimovic is the best forward since the time of Van Basten, except for Ronaldo, but they are different players. "We are a little bit scared of his power and his talent but we can beat them the same way that we can beat Belgium with organisation and by working hard on the training pitch." Italy, who began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Belgium to top Group E, face Ireland in their final group stage match. (Reuters)

Italy can overcome Ibrahimovic threat to beat Sweden - De Rossi

Three senior Irish bankers were jailed on Friday for up to three-and-a-half years for conspiring to defraud investors in the most prominent prosecution arising from the 2008 banking crisis that crippled the country&#39;s economy. 
 
The trio will be among the first senior bankers globally to be jailed for their role in the collapse of a bank during the crisis. 
 
The lack of convictions until now has angered Irish taxpayers, who had to stump up 64 billion Euros, almost 40 per cent of annual economic output, after a property collapse forced the biggest state bank rescue in the euro zone. 
 
The crash thrust Ireland into a three-year sovereign bailout in 2010 and the finance ministry said last month that it could take another 15 years to recover the funds pumped into the banks still operating. 
 
Former Irish Life and Permanent Chief Executive Denis Casey was sentenced to two years and nine months following the 74-day criminal trial, Ireland&#39;s longest ever. 
 
Willie McAteer, former finance director at the failed Anglo Irish Bank, and John Bowe, its ex-head of capital markets, were given sentences of 42 months and 24 months respectively. 
 
&quot;Dishonest, Deceitful&nbsp;and Corrupt&quot; 
 
All three were convicted of conspiring together and with others to mislead investors, depositors and lenders by setting up a 7.2-billion-Euro circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008 to bolster Anglo&#39;s balance sheet. 
 
Irish Life placed the deposits via a non-banking subsidiary in the run-up to Anglo&#39;s financial year-end, to allow its rival to categorise them as customer deposits, which are viewed as more secure, rather than a deposit from another bank. 
 
&quot;By means that could be termed dishonest, deceitful and corrupt they manufactured 7.2 billion Euros in deposits by obvious sham transactions,&quot; Judge Martin Nolan told the court, describing the conspiracy as a &quot;very serious crime&quot;. 
 
&quot;The public is entitled to rely on the probity of blue chip firms. If we can&rsquo;t rely on the probity of these banks we lose all hope or trust in institutions,&quot; said Nolan. 
 
None of the defendants reacted visibly to the sentencing before being led away by officers to Mountjoy Prison, the country&#39;s largest, and used in the past to hold Irish Republican Army prisoners. 
 
&#39;Green Jersey&nbsp;Agenda&#39; 
 
Lawyers for the accused argued during the trial that their motivation in authorising the deal was the &quot;green jersey&quot; agenda, the financial regulator&#39;s request for Irish banks to support one another as the financial crisis worsened. 
 
McAteer was convicted in 2014 of illegal lending and providing unlawful assistance to investors, but sentenced to perform community service when a judge ruled he was &quot;led into error and illegality&quot; by the Irish regulator. 
 
Scandal-hit Anglo-Irish, described by Nolan as &quot;probably the most reviled institution in the state&quot;, was put into liquidation in 2013 and remains subject to other criminal trials. 
 
Irish Life and Permanent was broken up during the restructuring of Ireland&#39;s financial sector and its banking arm, permanent tsb, remains under 75 per cent state ownership. 
 
Two other Anglo-Irish bankers, chief operations officer Tiarnan O&#39;Mahoney, 56, and former company secretary Bernard Daly, 67, earlier this year had their sentences quashed on appeal after spending several months in prison. 
 
Banks in the United States and Britain have paid billions of dollars in fines and settlements connected to wrongdoing over their handling of subprime loans that helped cause the crisis. But no senior industry executives in those countries have been sent to jail. 
 
(Reuters)

Banks in the US and Britain have paid billions for their handling of subprime mortage loans but no senior execs from there have gone to jail

Three senior Irish bankers were jailed on Friday for up to three-and-a-half years for conspiring to defraud investors in the most prominent prosecution arising from the 2008 banking crisis that crippled the country's economy. The trio will be among the first senior bankers globally to be jailed for their role in the collapse of a bank during the crisis. The lack of convictions until now has angered Irish taxpayers, who had to stump up 64 billion Euros, almost 40 per cent of annual economic output, after a property collapse forced the biggest state bank rescue in the euro zone. The crash thrust Ireland into a three-year sovereign bailout in 2010 and the finance ministry said last month that it could take another 15 years to recover the funds pumped into the banks still operating. Former Irish Life and Permanent Chief Executive Denis Casey was sentenced to two years and nine months following the 74-day criminal trial, Ireland's longest ever. Willie McAteer, former finance director at the failed Anglo Irish Bank, and John Bowe, its ex-head of capital markets, were given sentences of 42 months and 24 months respectively. "Dishonest, Deceitful and Corrupt" All three were convicted of conspiring together and with others to mislead investors, depositors and lenders by setting up a 7.2-billion-Euro circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008 to bolster Anglo's balance sheet. Irish Life placed the deposits via a non-banking subsidiary in the run-up to Anglo's financial year-end, to allow its rival to categorise them as customer deposits, which are viewed as more secure, rather than a deposit from another bank. "By means that could be termed dishonest, deceitful and corrupt they manufactured 7.2 billion Euros in deposits by obvious sham transactions," Judge Martin Nolan told the court, describing the conspiracy as a "very serious crime". "The public is entitled to rely on the probity of blue chip firms. If we can’t rely on the probity of these banks we lose all hope or trust in institutions," said Nolan. None of the defendants reacted visibly to the sentencing before being led away by officers to Mountjoy Prison, the country's largest, and used in the past to hold Irish Republican Army prisoners. 'Green Jersey Agenda' Lawyers for the accused argued during the trial that their motivation in authorising the deal was the "green jersey" agenda, the financial regulator's request for Irish banks to support one another as the financial crisis worsened. McAteer was convicted in 2014 of illegal lending and providing unlawful assistance to investors, but sentenced to perform community service when a judge ruled he was "led into error and illegality" by the Irish regulator. Scandal-hit Anglo-Irish, described by Nolan as "probably the most reviled institution in the state", was put into liquidation in 2013 and remains subject to other criminal trials. Irish Life and Permanent was broken up during the restructuring of Ireland's financial sector and its banking arm, permanent tsb, remains under 75 per cent state ownership. Two other Anglo-Irish bankers, chief operations officer Tiarnan O'Mahoney, 56, and former company secretary Bernard Daly, 67, earlier this year had their sentences quashed on appeal after spending several months in prison. Banks in the United States and Britain have paid billions of dollars in fines and settlements connected to wrongdoing over their handling of subprime loans that helped cause the crisis. But no senior industry executives in those countries have been sent to jail. (Reuters)

Ireland jails three top bankers over 2008 banking meltdown

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is examining Facebook Inc over its transfer of various rights associated with its worldwide business to a holding company in Ireland, according to court papers. 
 
The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco seeking to enforce IRS summonses served on Facebook and to force the world&#39;s largest social network to produce various documents as part of the probe. 
 
The lawsuit said the documents relate to an IRS examination of the company&#39;s tax liability for 2010, when Facebook&#39;s tax return reported royalty income from transfers of intangible property to Facebook Ireland Holdings Unlimited. 
 
&quot;Facebook complies with all applicable rules and regulations in the countries where we operate,&quot; Anteneh Daniel, a spokesperson for the company, said in a statement on Thursday. 
 
Facebook transferred to the Irish company rights associated with its worldwide business, with the exception of the United States and Canada, the lawsuit said. 
 
Facebook reduces its tax bill by having non-US&nbsp;clients pay advertising fees directly to an Irish subsidiary called Facebook Ireland Ltd. 
 
This subsidiary reported revenues of 4.8 billion Euros in 2014, the last year for which accounts are available. 
 
But Facebook Ireland Ltd reports low taxable profit, of just 13 million Euros in 2014, because it pays a significant chunk of its revenue to another Irish-registered company called Facebook Ireland Holdings, in return for the use of the Facebook platform. 
 
The lawsuit said Facebook retained accounting firm Ernst &amp; Young to value the transfers for tax purposes, but noted that information gathered by the IRS to date suggested that the valuation approach was &#39;problematic&#39;. 
 
(Reuters)

Non-US?clients pay advertising fees to an Irish subsidiary, which reported revenues of 4.8 billion Euros but only paid 13 million in taxes

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is examining Facebook Inc over its transfer of various rights associated with its worldwide business to a holding company in Ireland, according to court papers. The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco seeking to enforce IRS summonses served on Facebook and to force the world's largest social network to produce various documents as part of the probe. The lawsuit said the documents relate to an IRS examination of the company's tax liability for 2010, when Facebook's tax return reported royalty income from transfers of intangible property to Facebook Ireland Holdings Unlimited. "Facebook complies with all applicable rules and regulations in the countries where we operate," Anteneh Daniel, a spokesperson for the company, said in a statement on Thursday. Facebook transferred to the Irish company rights associated with its worldwide business, with the exception of the United States and Canada, the lawsuit said. Facebook reduces its tax bill by having non-US clients pay advertising fees directly to an Irish subsidiary called Facebook Ireland Ltd. This subsidiary reported revenues of 4.8 billion Euros in 2014, the last year for which accounts are available. But Facebook Ireland Ltd reports low taxable profit, of just 13 million Euros in 2014, because it pays a significant chunk of its revenue to another Irish-registered company called Facebook Ireland Holdings, in return for the use of the Facebook platform. The lawsuit said Facebook retained accounting firm Ernst & Young to value the transfers for tax purposes, but noted that information gathered by the IRS to date suggested that the valuation approach was 'problematic'. (Reuters)

IRS probes Facebook over Ireland asset transfer

As Brexit wins the Britain votes to leave the European Union (EU), Ireland is seemingly anticipating a damaging economic and political fallout. 
 
Britain&rsquo;s nearest neighbour and largest trade partner, Ireland has the EU&rsquo;s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member state from a `Brexit` with far-reaching implications for its trade, economy, security of energy supplies and peace in British-ruled Northern Ireland.&nbsp; 
 
Downside is definite: Sinn Fein&nbsp; 
Within minutes of the outcome becoming apparent, Northern Ireland`s largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether Northern Ireland should leave the United Kingdom.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The downside is definite and the upside is speculative,&quot; Noonan told parliament as the United Kingdom voted on Thursday, referring to the potential upside that some companies keen to stay in the EU might move from Britain to Ireland. 
 
Ireland`s central bank had warned that a withdrawal would hurt economic growth and jobs and significantly impact the financial sector, while a government-commissioned report found it could cut trade with Britain by at least 20 percent. 
 
Noonan said earlier this week that an estimated cumulative Brexit-related hit on the Irish economy of as much as 1.6 percent of GDP would be &quot;containable&quot;. 
 
 
Farmers, major UK suppliers more vulnerable 
Irish exporters will be the first to suffer, as the pound weakened significantly against the euro, making their euro-priced goods more expensive. Ireland will have to consider taking steps to assist firms exporting into Britain, Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan told Reuters on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
 
Farmers and food producers, major UK suppliers, are especially vulnerable. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce said business needed a comprehensive and quickly concluded trade agreement between the EU and the UK that recognised the unique relationship between Ireland and the UK. 
 
&quot;As the voice of businesses with significant employment in the UK and Ireland, the Chamber is concerned about any adverse impact the UK`s decision could have on trade between these Islands,&quot; said John McGrane, Director General of the Chamber. 
 
Reintroduction of a hard border would be considered: Flanagan&nbsp; 
Of most concern to Dublin is the impact on Northern Ireland, which has the only land frontier between the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU. It was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian violence. 
 
Flanagan said the reintroduction of a hard border would have to be considered in any negotiation and that the return of controls, for customs or security, could pose a difficult challenge for the peace process. 
 
The dismantling of military border posts was a key aspect of a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Catholic nationalists seeking a united Ireland and Protestant unionists who wanted to keep Northern Ireland British. Over 3,600 died in the conflict. 
 
British finance minister George Osborne has said border controls would be inevitable, while former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major, who also campaigned for a vote to remain, said a Brexit could undermine peace in the six-county province.Pro-Brexit campaigners, including Britain`s minister for Northern Ireland, described those warnings as &quot;scaremongering&quot; and said a Brexit would not endanger a common travel area that predates both countries` entry into the EU in 1973. 
 
 
&lsquo;This outcome dramatically changes political landscape&rsquo;&nbsp; 
While the United Kingdom as a whole voted by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of leaving the EU, 56 percent of those in Northern Ireland favoured staying.&nbsp; 
 
Northern Ireland`s nationalist Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said ahead of the vote that Britain should immediately commit to holding a vote to unite Ireland if its citizens chose to leave the EU. 
 
Under the 1998 agreement that brought about peace, Britain`s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland may call such a vote at any time. It also specifies that the Secretary &quot;shall&quot; order a referendum if it appears likely that a majority of those voting would seek to form part of a united Ireland. 
 
Nigel Dodds, a senior member of the province`s largest party, the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, told Sky News on Thursday that Sinn Fein were on very weak ground calling for a unity vote. 
 
But Sinn Fein chairman Declan Kearney said in a statement:&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This outcome tonight dramatically changes the political landscape here in the north of Ireland and we will be intensifying our case for the calling of a border poll,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; 
 
He further added saying, &quot;The British government as a direct result have forfeited any mandate to represent the interests of people here in the north of Ireland in circumstances where the north is dragged out of Europe as a result of a vote to leave.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Ireland has the EU`s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member in view of British exit?

As Brexit wins the Britain votes to leave the European Union (EU), Ireland is seemingly anticipating a damaging economic and political fallout. Britain’s nearest neighbour and largest trade partner, Ireland has the EU’s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member state from a `Brexit` with far-reaching implications for its trade, economy, security of energy supplies and peace in British-ruled Northern Ireland. Downside is definite: Sinn Fein Within minutes of the outcome becoming apparent, Northern Ireland`s largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether Northern Ireland should leave the United Kingdom. "The downside is definite and the upside is speculative," Noonan told parliament as the United Kingdom voted on Thursday, referring to the potential upside that some companies keen to stay in the EU might move from Britain to Ireland. Ireland`s central bank had warned that a withdrawal would hurt economic growth and jobs and significantly impact the financial sector, while a government-commissioned report found it could cut trade with Britain by at least 20 percent. Noonan said earlier this week that an estimated cumulative Brexit-related hit on the Irish economy of as much as 1.6 percent of GDP would be "containable". Farmers, major UK suppliers more vulnerable Irish exporters will be the first to suffer, as the pound weakened significantly against the euro, making their euro-priced goods more expensive. Ireland will have to consider taking steps to assist firms exporting into Britain, Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan told Reuters on Wednesday. Farmers and food producers, major UK suppliers, are especially vulnerable. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce said business needed a comprehensive and quickly concluded trade agreement between the EU and the UK that recognised the unique relationship between Ireland and the UK. "As the voice of businesses with significant employment in the UK and Ireland, the Chamber is concerned about any adverse impact the UK`s decision could have on trade between these Islands," said John McGrane, Director General of the Chamber. Reintroduction of a hard border would be considered: Flanagan Of most concern to Dublin is the impact on Northern Ireland, which has the only land frontier between the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU. It was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian violence. Flanagan said the reintroduction of a hard border would have to be considered in any negotiation and that the return of controls, for customs or security, could pose a difficult challenge for the peace process. The dismantling of military border posts was a key aspect of a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Catholic nationalists seeking a united Ireland and Protestant unionists who wanted to keep Northern Ireland British. Over 3,600 died in the conflict. British finance minister George Osborne has said border controls would be inevitable, while former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major, who also campaigned for a vote to remain, said a Brexit could undermine peace in the six-county province.Pro-Brexit campaigners, including Britain`s minister for Northern Ireland, described those warnings as "scaremongering" and said a Brexit would not endanger a common travel area that predates both countries` entry into the EU in 1973. ‘This outcome dramatically changes political landscape’ While the United Kingdom as a whole voted by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of leaving the EU, 56 percent of those in Northern Ireland favoured staying. Northern Ireland`s nationalist Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said ahead of the vote that Britain should immediately commit to holding a vote to unite Ireland if its citizens chose to leave the EU. Under the 1998 agreement that brought about peace, Britain`s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland may call such a vote at any time. It also specifies that the Secretary "shall" order a referendum if it appears likely that a majority of those voting would seek to form part of a united Ireland. Nigel Dodds, a senior member of the province`s largest party, the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, told Sky News on Thursday that Sinn Fein were on very weak ground calling for a unity vote. But Sinn Fein chairman Declan Kearney said in a statement: "This outcome tonight dramatically changes the political landscape here in the north of Ireland and we will be intensifying our case for the calling of a border poll,” he said. He further added saying, "The British government as a direct result have forfeited any mandate to represent the interests of people here in the north of Ireland in circumstances where the north is dragged out of Europe as a result of a vote to leave." (Reuters)

Ireland anticipates damaging economic, political fallout after Brexit

China&nbsp;led opposition to India&#39;s membership of NSG at a three-hour post-dinner meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group here on Thursday night which ended in a deadlock.&nbsp;

Preceding the two-day plenary of the 48-member NSG, which began today, China had repeatedly said that India&#39;s membership was not on the agenda and is said to have made every effort to prevent any discussion on India&#39;s bid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, Japan is believed to have raised India&#39;s case in the morning session after which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up at the special post-dinner meeting.&nbsp;

Indian official sources said that China was joined by Austria, Ireland and Brazil among other countries which questioned as to how a country like India which had not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty(NPT) can be admitted to the grouping.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Essentially their opposition was couched in principles and processes.&nbsp;

Brazil&#39;s objections are said to have surprised the Indian diplomats who pointed out that it is a member of the five-nation BRICS grouping. Besides India and Russia, the grouping includes&nbsp;China and South Africa.&nbsp;

Indian foreign secretary S&nbsp;Jaishankar, who is camping in Seoul, had earlier met the Brazilian delegation.&nbsp;

Officials said that discussions were inconclusive and that it would only be clear before the end of the plenary on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(PTI)&nbsp;

It was joined by others like Austria, Ireland and Brazil. However, Japan supported India in the morning session

China led opposition to India's membership of NSG at a three-hour post-dinner meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group here on Thursday night which ended in a deadlock. Preceding the two-day plenary of the 48-member NSG, which began today, China had repeatedly said that India's membership was not on the agenda and is said to have made every effort to prevent any discussion on India's bid. However, Japan is believed to have raised India's case in the morning session after which it was agreed that the matter would be taken up at the special post-dinner meeting. Indian official sources said that China was joined by Austria, Ireland and Brazil among other countries which questioned as to how a country like India which had not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty(NPT) can be admitted to the grouping. Essentially their opposition was couched in principles and processes. Brazil's objections are said to have surprised the Indian diplomats who pointed out that it is a member of the five-nation BRICS grouping. Besides India and Russia, the grouping includes China and South Africa. Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who is camping in Seoul, had earlier met the Brazilian delegation. Officials said that discussions were inconclusive and that it would only be clear before the end of the plenary on Friday. (PTI)

China leads opposition to India's NSG bid at post-dinner meet

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