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An Iraqi man shows photographs of his family members whom he says were killed on Wednesday when a US helicopter fired on a wedding party in a remote desert village near the border with Syria, killing up to 45 people.

Photograph: AP

US military defends attack on Iraqi wedding party
The US military gave a robust, no-apologies response yesterday to grief in Iraq and demands for an explanation as to why its forces attacked a village, killing up to 45 people, many of them said to have been attending a wedding. "How many people go to the middle of the desert 10 miles from the Syrian border to hold a wedding 80 miles from the nearest civilisation?" said Maj Gen James Mattis, commander of the US 1st Marine Division.

Law Society urges solicitors to pre-empt injuries board
The Law Society has written to every solicitor in the State advising them to bring all employers' liability cases to court by June 1st, before the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) commences its role. From June 1st all work-injury cases against employers will first have to be submitted to the PIAB for assessment, writes Kitty Holland .
Financial watchdog warns bank directors of duties
Directors and senior executives of Irish financial institutions will be held responsible for ensuring their organisations uphold the law, the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority (IFSRA) has indicated. Siobhán Creaton and Barry O'Halloran report

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Finance

Ahern aims to stop ESB's 10% price increase
The Government intends to take steps to prevent an ESB price rise of at least 10 per cent that it believes could impact on competitiveness. p
Amazon.com close to signing customer support centre deal
Amazon.com, one of the world's biggest internet retailers, is close to signing a deal to establish a new customer support and administrative centre in Ireland. p
Shannon Development rejects proposal
Shannon Development yesterday came out fighting against a proposal by its shareholder, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, to transfer the control of the Shannon Free Zone to the new Shannon airport authority. p
Grafton confirms stake in Heiton
Grafton Group confirmed yesterday that it was the buyer of a 5.3 per cent stake in rival building materials group Heiton on Wednesday. p

Ireland

Further inquiry into 1974 bombings advised
Dublin/Monaghan bombings inquest The jury at the Dublin and Monaghan bombings inquest has asked the Government to consider a further investigation into the involvement of loyalist paramilitaries in the atrocities of May 17th, 1974. p
Cork men get life sentences for savage lane attack
Two Cork men were yesterday given mandatory life sentences after being found guilty of the murder of a young man who was beaten up in a laneway. p
Don't call me 'Sir', says newly-knighted Sutherland
Former EU commissioner Mr Peter Sutherland says he will not be using the title of "Sir" following his receipt this week of a British honorary knighthood. p
Striking prison doctors threaten to resign
General practitioners servicing the State's 16 prisons are threatening to resign in a serious escalation of a dispute with prison management over pay and conditions. p
Independent journalists vote against strike
A threat of a strike at Independent Newspapers receded last night in spite of a vote by several unions in favour of industrial action. p
Multi-million-euro battle over tribunal costs to begin soon
Mahon Tribunal A legal battle over tens of millions of euro in costs arising from the first five years of the tribunal's work is set to open shortly. p
Abuse in Iraq has shamed US, says O'Donnell
America had been "shamed" by events in Iraq, a former PD minister of state for foreign affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, claimed. p
RTE plans summer of features, chat
A host of new feature programmes and a chat show fronted by Tommy Tiernan are among RTÉ Radio 1's programmes for the summer. p

World

Intifada leader faces five life terms in jail
THE MIDDLE EAST: An Israeli court yesterday convicted Marwan Barghouti, a self-styled principal orchestrator of the Palestinian intifada, of involvement in the killings of five Israelis, and judges said he had sometimes ordered attacks "based on instructions" from Mr Yasser Arafat. David Horovitz in Jerusalem reports p
Abdicating Cox is crowned in Aachen
THE EU: For the crowning moment in a European political career, there could be no better setting that the Coronation Room in the Town Hall of Aachen, home of Charlemagne, Europe's first great integrator. p
Trial of Russian oil tycoon begins
RUSSIA: A billionaire shareholder in Russia's giant Yukos oil firm went on trial yesterday for fraud and tax evasion, in a case seen as a prelude to the controversial prosecution of the country's richest man, Mr Mikhail Khodorkovsky. p
Warning over loss of white rhino
BRITAIN: The northern white rhino, one of the world's most endangered animals, could be extinct in the wild within months unless poaching by Sudanese rebels stops, conservationists said yesterday as they launched an appeal for funds. p

Sport

Battling to give players a voice
Niall Woods interview: Gerry Thornley talks to the IRUPA chief executive about dealing with unions which still maintain an amateur attitude towards professional players p