Two drug dealers killed

It is 8pm on a warm summer's evening when a tree-lined Dublin suburban road becomes a scene from a mafia film. A car driven by the drug-dealing Corbally brothers is rammed from behind and, as it slows, the pair are gunned down in a hail of machinegun fire. Bullets rip through the side and arm of the innocent 14-year-old in the back seat, who runs for his life and, though shot, survives. It is the 14th gangland hit this year.

FIFA's video debate

Sepp says sorry about that goal that wasn't for over-the-line Frank Lampard, and the one that was for off-side Carlos Tevez, and agrees Fifa will have to replay the debate about cameras on the goal-line. England and Mexico were well beaten, but who knows what might have happened because, as any analyst will tell you, once you have to chase from behind it leaves you vulnerable at the back to a counter attack and changes the dynamics. To restate the bleedin' obvious. Again.

The great food rip-off

Rip-off Ireland is alive and well and probably living in a multinational supermarket near you. We're the second-most expensive place in Europe, says the European statistics office. Basic foods cost a third more than the European average. Profits are so high that even cheaper chains are charging more than in their European shops.

Wild things

Mattie McGrath was for hunting and rural pursuits so he voted against the bill banning hunting farmed stags. Michael D Higgins is against hunting but he was sick so he didn't have to face the moral dilemma of being a past vice-president of the Irish Council Against Blood Sports while supporting the Labour Party hypocrisy of opposing both hunting and the bill that bans one form of it. Mary Wallace is for hunting but didn't want to bring down the government so she voted for the bill. Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan is against hunting in the north but for it in the south so he made sure he was kicked out of the Dáil before the vote. Deer, deer.

Recession is over

But try telling that to the 452,882 now out of work. "Technically" we are out of recession as our exports drag us out of negative territory. But only the analysts are cheering: the two-track recovery in which exports grow but home-based business shrinks gives them plenty more to tease out and charge fortunes in consultancy fees for.

The Moscow Murphys

It's the Irish ones pictured eating burgers surrounded by assorted Americana from Coke to Heinz ketchup and Bud Lite, in the manner of that recent burger-chomping photo of President Obama and Dmitri Medvedev, who are the most effective of the 11 Russian spies. But it's the girl with the hot bod who becomes an overnight internet sensation. Anna Chapman, 28, online real estate agent and out-and-out babe, is named across the States as the spy who "could have warmed up most Cold War nights".

No more sparkle

The sparkle disappears for supermodel Naomi Campbell as she's summoned to the war crimes trial in the Hague to explain "a gift" of a huge uncut blood diamond she's alleged to have received from brutal former Liberian president Charles Taylor in 1997. Campbell tried ignoring it, so she's summonsed to appear or face
seven years in jail.

One outfit, 69 years

Crime-fighter, feminist superhero and all-round legend Wonder Woman is in for a makeover, but those bowling ball breasts, as author Jodi Picoult dubbed them, are set to stay. DC Comics wanted to give her "a modern sensibility" so out go the star-spangled pants and boots, and in come tight black leggings and navy shoes. The uplifting corset stays. A spy-bustier supreme?

Jack's still the lad

Names for boys remain solidly solid as Jack, Seán, Daniel, Conor and James remain the five most popular monikers for the newborn male but girls' names have taken on a Hollywood hue: Sophie, Ava, Emma, Sarah and Grace are the top five female new romantics. Nary a political name in sight – neither Mary, nor Brian, nor Dermot, and not even Eamon makes it into the top 50.

Enda the row

The long grass has been cut and is now so short that it will take ages for it to grow back. Fine
Gael leader Inda Kinny is delighted to assert his political strength by dividing his opponents, bringing back old hands such as Baldy Noonan and promoting new blood such as old hand 'The Doc' James Reilly, while forgiving the "hypocrite" Junior Bruton. The impersonators will make hay.