Six people killed by avalanche in Italy
An avalanche killed six skiers in the Italian Alps today, making it one of the deadliest to hit the area in many years, a fire department spokeswoman said.
Of the six bodies recovered, four were Italian citizens and two others have yet to be identified, the spokeswoman said. An injured Austrian woman was being treated in hospital in the town of Brunico.
"We know there were several groups in the same area, which is why we are still searching," the spokeswoman said. "We don't know yet if everyone has been accounted for."
The avalanche took place during the morning at more than 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) on Mount Nevoso, or Snowy Mountain, in South Tyrol, near the Austrian border.
Twin boys drown after falling into fish pond in Scotland
Two-year-old twin boys have drowned after reportedly falling into a fish pond in Fife, Scotland.
Emergency services were called to the scene in Dalgety Bay this morning after the boys were found.
They were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead, Police Scotland said.
Officers are supporting the family and working to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
Cadbury shop stewards back WRC proposals
A general meeting of Unite and SIPTU members working in Cadbury's Coolock site was held today to discuss the WRC proposals negotiated on Friday 4 March.
The meeting heard reports from the joint negotiating committee and from the joint shop stewards' meeting held earlier in the week.
The joint shop stewards have recommended acceptance of the proposals.
Balloting on the proposals will start next Sunday 20 March and will run until Tuesday 22 March.
Protesters gather at GPO to highlight Syrian crisis
The Irish Solidarity Movement held a demonstration outside the GPO as part of a global month of solidarity with Syria.
The protest came ahead of the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Syria on Tuesday 15 March.
The group of protesters held banners with messages such as 'Syria wants peace and justice' and 'Five years of broken promises'.
The Irish Solidarity Movement is calling on the Irish Government to commit to taking in thousands more Syrian refugees, and to demand accountability from the UN about what it describes as its failure to deliver aid to besieged areas.
Obama narrows Supreme Court choice to three, says report
US President Barack Obama has narrowed his choice to fill the nation's Supreme Court vacancy down to three judges, The Washington Post reported.
Mr Obama is considering DC-based Merrick Garland and Sri Srinivasan, and California-based Paul Watford, the Post said, citing people familiar with the vetting process.
Much is at stake in the struggle over who will replace Antonin Scalia, the conservative justice who died unexpectedly in February and whose successor could potentially tip the court towards a liberal majority.
Republicans in the Senate, which must approve any nomination, said it should be left to the next president to choose the new justice, while Mr Obama said it is his constitutional duty to act now.
