The Santa Clara women's tennis team opened up the 2005-06 season at the 11th Annual Bulldog Classic in Fresno, Calif., hosted by Fresno State University. Four Santa Clara players made it into the Round of 32, led by seeded players

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Some of the world's most impoverished nations, most of them in Africa, moved within striking distance of having billions of dollars in debt written off thanks to a breakthrough agreement at the IMF.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Tens of thousands of anti-war demonstrators rallied outside the White House, demanding the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq as public opinion polls show collapsing support for the war effort.

British and Ireland farmers have agreed to open a dialogue with retailers on the need for producer viability.

NEW cattle testing laws to protect Scotland from bovine tuberculosis came into effect yesterday (Friday).

Beef producers in Northern Ireland must improve the efficiency of production and the eating quality of their meat if they are to survive in the global market.

An ankle bracelet - that's my latest acquisition. While it's not made of silver or gold, nor of cheap metal or leather, it is quite attractive. It's reddish/brown in colour. I suppose you could call it a gift, as it

It is an old adage in journalism that if you fail to capture people's attention in the first sentence they skip onto the next article.

The Northern Ireland team, comprising of Richard Gill, of Listooder Ploughing Society, Thomas Cochrane, of Coleraine Ploughing Society, and coach, William King MBE, had a very successful trip to the 52nd World Ploughing Contest in the Czech Republic.

The Ulster Farmers' Union welcomed the new Chairman of Dairy UK to UFU Headquarters this week. David Curry MP met with UFU President Campbell Tweed, Milk Chairman Ramsey Stewart, Chief Executive Clarke Black and Policy Officer Ian Stevenson. Dairy UK

The Ulster Farmers' Union has been informed that the European Commission will instruct United Kingdom authorities to use the official Euro/Sterling exchange rate recorded on September 30 when calculating the actual Single Farm Payments made available to farmers for 2005.

The compulsory set-aside rate applied in Northern Ireland from 2006 will be 6.9 per cent, Agricultural Minister, Jeff Rooker, has announced.

Northern Ireland Seed Potatoes' was the theme chosen by Potato Partners NI who coordinated the local seed potato industry presence at the Potato 2005 exhibition held in Emmeloord, Holland.

The issue of rural development has been brought centre stage courtesy of a call by Eddie McVeigh, Head of the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland, for the local farming industry and the wider rural community to make full use

Price benefits flowing from the United Kingdom's integrated farm assurance schemes are undermined if importers can claim their product is 'assured' even if the standards used are lower.

Now it's official. This winter is going to be cold, snowy and frosty.

For years we have been told that the ending of OTMS would signal the start of an automatic process leading quickly to the termination of the beef export ban.

Discussions took place this week between Government Departments north and south on various approaches to counter avian influenza.

NFU Scotland is urging the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to fast-track a consultation on the unwinding of beef export restrictions to avoid any unnecessary delay in British beef returning to the Continent.

The UFU Cattle and Sheep Committee, which meets monthly, has responded to ongoing drops in beef prices, by constructing a series of proposals to re-establish confidence among beef farmers.