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

Mrs Sonia Gandhi in parliament yesterday with Mr Manmohan Singh, architect of India's economic liberalisation programme, who is now likely to be named prime minister.

Photograph: Manish Swarup/AP

Singh expected to become first Sikh PM
Mrs Sonia Gandhi stunned India yesterday by refusing to become the country's first foreign-born prime minister, further intensifying the week-long political drama and turbulence following last week's surprise general election results. Rahul Bedi reports from New Delhi

Banks may face €5m fine for overcharging under new law
The Government has approved new measures to empower the regulator of the financial institutions to levy fines on banks of up to €5 million if they overcharge their customers, it has emerged, writes Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter
Move on Curtin impeachment may take months
The Oireachtas investigation into the behaviour of Judge Brian Curtin may continue into the autumn before the Government decides whether to propose a motion to impeach him, writes Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent

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Ireland

McDowell insists his action heads off 'threat'
The European Court finding in favour of a Chinese woman and her Belfast-born daughter girl has vindicated the decision to hold the citizenship referendum in June, the Government has said. p
Release of fatal bus accident report postponed
Dublin Bus has postponed releasing the report into the fatal bus accident at Wellington Quay which claimed five lives after the Director of Public Prosecutions said publication could prejudice a fair trial. p
INTO reaches agreement on special needs
The INTO last night welcomed a new agreement on the provision of special needs education at primary level next year. p
Musician's appeal against conviction upheld
Traditional musician Sharon Shannon's appeal against a drink-driving conviction was upheld yesterday, after it emerged at Galway Circuit Court that the summons served on her for the offence was invalid because it had been issued a day too late. p
Latest murder could ignite UVF/LVF feud
Police and vulnerable working-class loyalist communities are bracing themselves for potentially another murderous loyalist paramilitary feud after a 34-year-old man was shot dead in east Belfast yesterday morning. p
Kildare students to be tested for TB
Leaving Certificate students attending a Co Kildare secondary school are to be screened for tuberculosis later this week after a senior student at their school was confirmed as having contracted the disease. p
Rabbitte says Coalition despised
Labour Party European launch: The Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, has predicted that the Government will get "an even bigger hammering than any poll or expert is predicting" in the local and European elections. p
Golf club sanctioned for not admitting women
Portmarnock Golf Club has had its drinks licence suspended for seven days for excluding women as members. p

World

Ministers to attend meeting on constitution
EU: European Union foreign ministers will meet for a special negotiating session on the constitutional treaty next Monday amid calls for the Irish EU presidency to "take a risk" by tabling a comprehensive new draft of the treaty. p
Bush reaffirms backing for Israel as 'courageous' ally
US/MIDDLE EAST: President George Bush said yesterday that violence in the Gaza Strip was "troubling", while strongly reaffirming US support for Israel as an ally that shared a belief that God "valued every life". p
9/11 horrors revisited as hearings begin
US: Video of the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Centre has been largely kept off New York's television screens to spare the emotions of the victims' families and of people who witnessed the attacks. p
1,000 have died in Nigerian conflict
NIGERIA: Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed emergency powers to govern the violence-torn central state of Plateau yesterday, saying recent killings there threatened to plunge the whole country into crisis. p

Finance

O2 logs rise in profits and customer base
O2 Ireland generated operating profits of €207 million in the year to the end of March 2004 as its customers increased their annual spend on mobile services to €559. p
US oil prices drop as OPEC may raise output
US oil futures fell a dollar from record highs yesterday as dealers took profits amid signals producer group OPEC could decide in June to raise its output quotas to soothe the rattled market. p
New energy firm claims to have 5% of the gas market
A new energy supply company, Vaÿu, claims to have captured 5.25 per cent of the eligible gas market and secured business from major users such as CRH. p

Sport

West Ham on brink of return
SOCCER/ West Ham 2; Ipswich Town 0 ( West Ham win 2-1 on aggregate): Alan Pardew was brought to West Ham with the task of leading the club back to the Premiership at the first attempt, and the manager is now just one game from completing the task. p
Keane proves fitness for sixth final
SOCCER/FA Cup news: Millwall's player-manager Dennis Wise has joined Manchester United's captain Roy Keane in the race to be fit for Saturday's FA Cup final after breaking down in training on Monday. p