Taoiseach to visit Paris and New York
Taoiseach Brian Cowen is to visit Paris and New York next month, writes Deaglán de Bréadún.
Mr Cowen will attend the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean on July 13th, organised by the French presidency of the EU.
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or Euromed, is a process of consultation between EU member states and non-EU countries in the Mediterranean. The following day, Mr Cowen will be a guest at the official celebration of Bastille Day.
On July 15th, Mr Cowen will make his first official trip as Taoiseach to the US when he flies to New York for a series of engagements with "key political and business leaders", as well as representatives of the Irish community in the city.
He will visit the New York Stock Exchange on July 16th and give a keynote address at the "Wall Street 50" dinner on July 17th.
In his meetings with various groups and politicians, the Taoiseach is expected to discuss the global economic situation, how to further develop the relationship between Ireland and the US, and the issue of immigration reform and the undocumented Irish in the US.
No disruption in Balearic Islands
Strike action by airport ground staff in the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza did not affect holiday flights, according to the Spanish authorities, writes Karl McLaughlin in Spain.
Despite initial predictions that the first of a series of two-hour stoppages, coinciding with the beginning of the summer-holiday rush from Ireland, would cause major delays and possible cancellations, it was virtually business as usual for the airports in Palma, Minorca and Ibiza at the weekend.
The feared disruption to aircraft refuelling, catering and transportation of passengers to and from aircraft did not materialise, and only minor baggage- collection delays of less than 30 minutes were reported.
Further stoppages are planned for tomorrow and Saturday at the three airports, although tour operators say the possibility of disruption on the scale of the chaos which brought Palma to a standstill in May 2005 is "minimal".
Call for talks on Orange march
Parades Commission chairman Roger Poole has welcomed the peaceful outcome to Saturday's annual contentious Whiterock Orange Order parade and urged a resolution of the issue, writes Gerry Moriarty.
Only a token group of 50 Orangemen were permitted to march onto the nationalist Springfield Road, while the rest of the parade was rerouted. About 150 nationalists protested against the annual parade.
Mr Poole, welcoming the outcome, said: "It is vital that, when there is disagreement on parades, that all sides adhere to decisions of the commission."
Tourist hurt in mountain fall
A Norwegian tourist was brought to Kerry General Hospital last night after a fall on Brandon Mountain in the Dingle peninsula, writes Anne Lucey.
The man, in his early 60s, was with a small group of walkers and a guide when he fell.