This column starts with a warning. It's entirely subjective. Objectivity has been kicked out the window. Sitting in Frankfurt airport last Sunday, trying to imagine what the German headline writers are saying about the World Cup draw (put the words Heidi Klum, uber-sexiness, Iran and banned in a short sentence) I got to listen to Bernard Dunne talking to Jimmy Magee. They were sitting in a little Franziskaner bar with pine from roof to ceiling and nothing on offer but mediocre tea and cold brioche.

He at first refused to state where he had been in April 2001 and then remained evasive, refusing to explain where he had been while on leave at that time. By Colin Murphy, John Byrne and Vincent Browne

The Sunday Independent and Irish Independent have run a series of stories undermining the CPI and it members.

This week, just hours after the Comptroller and Auditor General's (C&AG) report on the PPARS scandal had been published, the consultancy firm, Deloitte and Touche, issued their first statement on the affair. This fiasco has already cost the public €131 million and the report ran to 115 pages.

Although the charges have been withdrawn from the three accused of operating a spy ring in Stormont, there was no explanation as to why. Disagreement between the parties remains and conspiracy theories abound. Colm Heatley reports

Billy Leahy visits the cosy Gallery for One and the cached attic gallery to get away from the Christmas mania and stroll through the worlds of four young photographers exploring the relationships between subject, artist and camera

Just where will reality TV draw the line?
Dermot Bolger hazards a guess

Dai was sweating hard carrying the box up the hill, although it could not have been heavy. He kept it clasped close to his chest, leading the procession. Coming level with him, I saw it was not sweat but tears that were trickling down his cheeks.

How the US has restricted and distorted the definition of torture

The Abbey revives an Irish 'classic' by Lennox Robinson for the Christmas season. Colin Murphy wonders why