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

US president George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush outside the Crawford fire station in Texas after casting their ballots in the elections yesterday.

Photograph: Rod Aydelotte-Pool/Getty Images

Warning on under-reporting of adverse reactions to drugs
Only one in 10 Irish GPs and even fewer hospital doctors are reporting the adverse side-effects of pharmaceuticals to the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) each year, an Oireachtas subcommittee heard yesterday, writes John Downes .

Sweeping changes in Garda structures proposed
Sweeping changes in the structure of An Garda Síochána, involving the employment of civilians at all levels in the force from senior management to clerical grades, have been proposed in two expert reports, write Stephen Collins , Political Correspondent and Conor Lally , Crime Correspondent.
Report wants end of 'age' defence in child sex cases
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection is to propose to the Government a change to the Constitution to make it impossible to defend sex with a young child on the grounds of mistake as to age, The Irish Times has learned. Miriam Donohoe reports.

In Focus

Head2Head
Do we need more detailed food labelling?
Business poll
Will Hibernian pay a price for offshoring some of its customer service operations?
Education
Full education coverage

Ireland

Gardaí look at possible link to arson attack
Four men, believed to be brothers, were being treated for burns at St James's Hospital in Dublin last night as gardaí and the PSNI investigated a possible link to the attack in Co Armagh on Monday when a man and woman were seriously burned in an arson attack. p
Ireland's climate change issues need 'leadership'
Strong political leadership and an effective regulatory framework are required if Ireland is to tackle its greenhouse gas emissions. p
Frightened community lives in crime's grip
In the nightmarish landscape of O'Malley Park, entire blocks are abandoned or burnt out. People live behind boarded-up windows and admit to living in fear of guns, drugs and murderous under-age thugs. Women walking their children home from school say they were both angry and terrified by the latest attack on a five-year-old, writes Kathy Sheridan in Southill, Limerick. p
Organic market set for 'major expansion'
The organic market is poised for major expansion and has advantages over conventionally produced food in the area of carbon footprint, nutrition and animal welfare, the first cross-Border National Organic Food conference heard yesterday. p
Recommendation made to change law on postmortem
Legislation should be enacted which would allow adults to decide whether they want a postmortem to be carried out on their remains. p
Charities group to make case for VAT exemption
The Government's argument that charities must pay VAT under European Union rules does not stand up to scrutiny, a number of charities will today tell an Oireachtas committee. p
M50 part of FG plan to tackle Dublin traffic
Fine Gael has proposed removing the M50 barrier at peak times as part of a series of measures to tackle traffic problems in the greater Dublin area. p
Maguire's Cavan bistro wins food writer's restaurant of year award
Young chefs and rural restaurants were the main winners in the ninth Annual Awards for Excellence announced by food writer Georgina Campbell yesterday. p

Finance

Budget surplus needed for slowdown - Cowen
The Republic will need to run a budgetary surplus next year so the economy can withstand an expected slowdown in the US, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has warned. p
Port directors removed papers, High Court told
The High Court has granted orders restraining the chief executive and a non-executive director of the Limerick port company from destroying or disclosing to any other person any confidential or other information in their possession relating to the firm. p
Brothers sell Bad Bobs for €12m
One of Dublin's most well-known pubs, Bad Bobs in Temple Bar, owned by brothers Liam and Des O'Dwyer, has been sold for €12 million, writes Emmet Oliver p
M&S to add 10 new Irish stores over three years
Marks & Spencer is primed for a fresh attack on the Irish market, with the addition of 10 new stores in the next three years to provide a significant boost to annual sales of more than €500 million. p

World

Democrats' uphill battle to dethrone Schwarzenegger
US: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's one-year quest for political redemption faced a final judgment yesterday as California voters cast ballots in the race for governor and decided whether to launch the state's most ambitious rebuilding plan in decades. p
Saddam calls on warring factions to 'reconcile and shake hands'
Iraq: Back in the dock just 48 hours after being condemned to death for crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein made an unlikely appeal for national reconciliation yesterday as his trial for genocide against the Kurds resumed in Baghdad. p
Al-Qaeda plotter is jailed for 40 years
Britain: A British al-Qaeda member was jailed for a minimum of 40 years yesterday for plotting death and carnage on a "colossal and unprecedented" scale on both sides of the Atlantic. p
Topolanek in new bid to form Czech government
Czech Republic: Czech president Vaclav Klaus is expected to appoint Mirek Topolanek as prime minister for the second time today, giving him another chance to form a government capable of breaking five months of political deadlock. p

Sport

Ferguson's party is cut short
Soccer/English League Cup: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson suffered one of his most embarrassing defeats last night when Southend, the Championship's bottom club, beat them and often outplayed them in this English League Cup fourth-round tie. p
Brennan to take firm stand
International Rules News: The future of the International Rules series may not even reach the negotiation phase as GAA president Nickey Brennan appeared to throw several more obstacles in the way of any further agreement with the AFL. After stating on Monday that in his view the "series is over" yesterday Brennan said he will reiterate that view to the management committee and Central Council. Ian O'Riordan reports. p