The Irish Times, Irish News Online, International, Sports & Business News

The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Dr Robin Eames, addressing the Church of Ireland General Synod in Dublin yesterday.

Photograph: Eric Luke

Irishman with severe MS commits suicide in Zurich
An Irishman suffering from severe multiple sclerosis who revealed last year on radio that he had contacted an assisted suicide organisation in Switzerland has committed suicide in Zurich, The Irish Times has learned. Barry Roche , Southern Correspondent, reports

Fianna Fail faces crisis in party's structure, says report
The Fianna Fáil party is facing a serious organisational crisis according to a confidential internal party report which shows its membership now estimated at between 15,000 and 20,000, or less than half of what party officials originally believed, writes Liam Reid , Political Reporter
Plan to refund nursing home residents due out today
The Government will today announce how it plans to refund some 22,000 residents of State-run institutions and at least 40,000 families of deceased residents who were illegally charged for care. Mark Brennock , Chief Political Correspondent, reports

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Ireland

UUP suffers heavy losses in local elections
The Ulster Unionist Party has suffered heavily in the local government elections, losing 39 seats, more than 5 percentage points in popular support and its lead position within unionism. p
Roche to rule on Tara's archaeological sites
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is expected to formally announce his decision today on how the archaeological sites along the proposed M3 motorway through the Tara-Skryne valley, should be dealt with. p
Government defers airport decision
The Government has once again deferred a decision on a second terminal at Dublin airport after pre-Cabinet meetings yesterday involving Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Tánaiste Mary Harney and Minister for Transport Martin Cullen failed to resolve differences on the issue. p
European Parliament votes to support McCartney civil action
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to give EU financial assistance to the family of Robert McCartney to fund a civil action if the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) fails to bring his killers to justice. p
Ryanair pilot seeks jail order against O'Leary
The High Court will tomorrow hear a fresh bid to jail Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary for allegedly failing to obey a court order directing the airline to restore a senior pilot to flying duties. p
Driving test wait to drop to 10 weeks, says Cullen
Waiting times for the driving test will be cut from an average of 10 months to less than 10 weeks by the end of 2006, the Minister for Transport has pledged. p
Jewel in the crown of pubs goes up for auction today
This afternoon one of Dublin's best-loved pubs goes under the hammer. After 30 years of family ownership Philip Shaffry is selling the Stag's Head pub, off Dame Street. p
Children, family seen as at risk
How children were cared for in Ireland today would have been totally unacceptable to our Victorian predecessors, the Church of Ireland primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, said yesterday. p
FG calls for suicide prevention plan
Fine Gael has called for the immediate implementation of a national suicide prevention strategy and has accused the Government of a lack of leadership in tackling the problem. p

Finance

McNamara says he is not part of Jurys bid approach
Property developer Bernard McNamara has said that he is not involved in the bid approach to Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. p
Smurfit losses rise to €66.7m as sales fall 3%
Losses before tax at Jefferson Smurfit mounted to €66.72 million in the first three months of the year, as the packaging and paper group endured "extremely challenging" conditions in the European market. p
Bank of Ireland reinstates 4% rate on SSIA top-ups
Bank of Ireland has reinstated its 4 per cent interest rate on top-ups to fixed-rate Special Savings Incentive Accounts (SSIAs) made by 28,000 customers before March 21st. p

World

Holocaust memorial opens after 17-year campaign
GERMANY: Berlin's Holocaust Memorial was officially opened yesterday, marking the end of a 17-year campaign by journalist Lea Rosh, sarcastically dubbed Germany's "Holocaust Cassandra". p
Senior Iraqi official held as violence escalates
IRAQ: Insurgents kidnapped the senior official in Iraq's rebellious Anbar province yesterday as the deadline set by the captors of an Australian hostage passed with no word on his fate. p
Bush hails democracy in Georgia as 'beacon of liberty'
GEORGIA: President Bush hailed Georgia's new democracy as a "beacon of liberty" yesterday and in a swipe at Moscow said the sovereignty of the former Soviet republic must be respected. p

Sport

Chelsea surpass United's record
SOCCER/Manchester Utd - 1 Chelsea - 3: Chelsea, with two trophies secured, could have endured a defeat but it was Manchester United who had to do all the suffering. p
New marketing campaign launched at headquarters
GAELIC GAMES/All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: Guinness will be marketing the 2005 All-Ireland hurling championship as The Stuff of Legend. While that could just as easily be referring to Guinness itself, the campaign is in fact inspired by hurling's place in Irish mythology, from the legends of Cu Chulainn, to stories about Fionn and Na Fianna. p