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Jackie O'Callaghan (centre) and Noel and Eimear Callaghan from Westmeath at the Midlands Country Music Festival at Ballinlough Castle near Athboy, Co Meath yesterday. The festival features artists such as Kenny Rogers and Van Morrison. Photograph: Alan Betson.

600 Poles may be homeless in Ireland, embassy finds
Polish embassy officials in Dublin have estimated that up to 600 of its citizens who came to work here since the country joined the EU two years ago are now accessing services for homeless people, writes Carl O'Brien , Social Affairs Correspondent.

Bush and Blair call for global force in Lebanon
US president George Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair have said they want an international force sent to Lebanon quickly but they have rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire. Denis Staunton in Washington and Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem.
State may face legal challengeover its access to phone data
In a potentially far-reaching legal challenge, a privacy rights watchdog group is demanding that the Government and Garda cease the collection, storing and accessing of mobile and fixed-line phone data, writes Karlin Lillington .

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Ireland

Corrib report urges 'investment fund'
Government mediator Peter Cassells has urged the establishment of an "investment fund" in north Mayo as one of a series of recommendations aimed at resolving issues over the Corrib gas onshore pipeline. p
200-plus Irish air passengers stranded by strike
More than 200 Irish air passengers were stranded overnight in Barcelona following an unofficial dispute by workers at Spanish airline Iberia. p
Two appointed to new Garda Inspectorate
The new Garda Inspectorate was finally established yesterday after Minister for Justice Michael McDowell announced the appointment of two further inspectors for the body. p
Young footballer (21) dies after accident on pitch
A young man injured after colliding with another player during a soccer match in Navan, Co Meath, on Wednesday evening died in hospital early yesterday. p
Inmates told to sleep on floor of Cork jail
Inmates at Cork Prison are sleeping on mattresses on the floor because of serious overcrowding, it was revealed yesterday. Up to 270 inmates are being housed, even though the facility only has a design capacity for 160. p
Schools await new 'sin bin' service
The Department of Education expects up to 50 secondary schools to avail of a new service aimed at tackling unruly pupil behaviour, in part through the use of so-called "sin bins". p
Campaigners want UCD course restored
Families of students who were due to start the now-deferred University College Dublin (UCD) certificate for people with intellectual disabilities are to lodge a formal complaint with the university and lobby politicians in an attempt to have the course reinstated. p
Man found guilty of raping woman onher way to work
A building worker has been found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping a Latvian woman in his car after offering her a lift to her work at 8am on a June morning last year. p

Finance

Government defends stance on EU sugar fund
The Government will defend its position in relation to the EU sugar compensation fund against Greencore's legal challenge, a spokesman for the Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, said yesterday. Una McCaffrey reports. p
Petroceltic will not rule out takeover
Oil and gas exploration group Petroceltic International may be open to a takeover offer from a rival, chief executive John Craven indicated to shareholders yesterday. Gabrielle Monaghan reports. p
AIB to sell branches before Bank of Ireland
AIB is to follow Bank of Ireland by embarking on a sale and leaseback next month of part of its branch network to release capital for its banking operations. Jack Fagan reports. p

World

Marksmen to resume jobs
BRITAIN: The family of Jean Charles de Menezes, the innocent man shot dead by British anti-terrorist police in the aftermath of the London bombings last summer, reacted angrily yesterday as Scotland Yard announced the two officers concerned will return to "full operational duties". p
Tensions rise as Somali minister shot dead
SOMALIA: Gunmen shot dead a Somali minister outside a mosque yesterday in what a cabinet colleague called a "terrorist action" at the interim government's provincial base in Baidoa. p
Polish president urges EU to restore death penalty
POLAND: Poland's conservative president, Lech Kaczynski, could be on a collision course with the EU after urging member states to restore the death penalty. p
North Korea refuses to resume talks
NORTH KOREA: North Korea spurned calls to return to nuclear talks at an Asia security forum yesterday. US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice had been attending the ASEAN Regional Forum, hosted annually by the Association of South East Asian Nations, where members of the six-party talks had tried to get Pyongyang to join multilateral discussions about North Korea's nuclear programmes. p

Sport

Kerrymen have moves for old-fashioned skirmish
GAELIC GAMES/Kerry v Longford: Something sweetly old-fashioned about this afternoon's fixture. Not that Kerry and Longford don't make a novel championship couple or these back-door occasions have become passé; rather that after a summer of pussyfooting, a decent, blood-and-thunder, winner-takes-all game is irresistible. p
United confirm Carrick signing
SOCCER: Manchester United last night confirmed a fee has been agreed with Tottenham for England midfielder Michael Carrick. p