10 things I loved in 2013, from ‘Breaking Bad’ to ‘riverrun’
'The final episodes of Breaking Bad had the suspense and spectacle of a great action thriller, the psychological depth of a fine novel, the rush towards a calamity of a Greek tragedy'
Instability and chemical warfare
Violence and political instability across the Middle East have cast a hopeless shadow on the aspirations of 2011’s Arab spring, but there are some bright points
Our cultural highs and lows of 2013
From Pussy Riot to Netflix and Jeff Koons’s €42 million dog, our critics choose their best and worst of the past year
A year in politics: the Enda the bailout
May elections in 2014 will present a particular challenge for the Coalition, which will also face the ultimate test of its decision to forgo an emergency credit line post-bailout
My best moment of 2013
From becoming a grandmother for the first time to simply enjoying meeting customers in a shop, the best memories are personal
Hot, dry and sunny – a long time coming
Summer 2013 started late but then it seemed to go on . . . and on, and had us basking in soaring temperatures and glorious autumn foliage
Television: A look back at the great drama on TV in 2013
‘The Fall’ epitomises TV drama’s rise and rise while Netflix flexes its muscles
Tricky leaks: Snowden vs NSA
Edward Snowden blew the lid on US spying in Europe, but the real enemy may be public apathy
The year the sun came out – for some
Ireland’s economy is starting to look like the euro zone’s comeback kid, but with such a fragile and two-tiered recovery, a happy ending may yet be out of reach
Radio: Sudden exits and welcome returns mark a year of change
Pat Kenny’s move to Newstalk was the big story, but there were more notable presences - and absences - on radio in 2013
What’s on your agenda for 2014?
A selection of people from arts and entertainment give a glimpse into what they’ll be up to in the new year
Looking forward to 2014, from a thousand years ago
We’ve a lot of anniversaries on our plate these days, but the Vikings should be allowed raid the calendar
Bangladesh factory disaster forces West to think about high cost of cheap clothes
The Rana Plaza collapse has led to calls for drastic reform of the garment industry
The papal spring
From the moment of the pope’s election, in March, there has been the sense that something remarkable has happened. But can Pope Francis implement his bold vision?
Northern Ireland’s protests, parades and past – and a party president with no plans to go away
It was a bad year for Gerry Adams, but the North has experienced many much worse years
The stories you read most during 2013
Property was predictably popular, as was technology, media, Google’s tax affairs. . . and Superquinn sausages
Exports are key for Enterprise chief
Enterprise Ireland is also putting money into attracting foreign direct investment and research
SMEs and global recovery are best hopes
As a small player, Ireland is subject to vagaries. But enterprise, banks and less austerity are good tools
#TopTechStories2013
The Snowden revelations shook the tech giants, but they had plenty of their own problems to deal with
Stellar gains on global markets
Calm markets were reflected in the Vix – or fear index – hitting a six-year low of 12 and never exceeding its average
Taper talk continues to dominate markets – and US boom worries
But bulls are confident the Fed and global central bankers will ease off on liquidity rather than halt it
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