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Kevin Downes and Ken Doyle move away in a life raft from their fishing vessel, the Renegade, as it sinks east of the Tuskar Rock lighthouse. The men, who had been searching for the bodies of the Pere Charles crewmen, were airlifted to safety.

Photograph: Coast Guard / RTE News

Crumlin children's hospital examines options
The board of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, is looking at fresh options for its future including rebuilding the hospital on the site it currently occupies.
Two rescued from sinking fishing vessel off Wexford
A Co Wexford skipper and his crewman were recovering last night after their fishing vessel sank east of Tuskar Rock lighthouse.
Obama takes the first step in 2008 bid for White House
Rising Democratic star Barack Obama has taken the first step towards a White House bid in 2008 that could make him the first black president in American history. In a video message to supporters yesterday, the senator from Illinois said he was forming an exploratory committee that will allow him to raise funds and hire staff for a presidential campaign.

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Ireland

Garda plan seeks to deter armed gangs
A major Garda security plan involving specialist armed units and the force's helicopters is to be put in place across Dublin in a bid to deter armed gangs from staging more hostage robberies. p
Fine Gael, PDs launch election billboards
Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats launched rival new billboard campaigns yesterday to promote their respective party positions in the run-up to the general election. p
Garda gets suspended sentence for theft of €700
A 27-year-old Garda convicted of stealing €700 which had been handed in at Sligo Garda station, was yesterday given a two-year suspended sentence. p
Trinity suspends acting degree course
The director of the Abbey Theatre, Fiach Mac Conghail, has expressed his dismay at the decision of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) to halt intake into its renowned three-year undergraduate degree course in acting studies with effect from this autumn. p
New Aer Lingus baggage charges introduced
Air travellers seeking bargains face substantial fare increases from today with the introduction by Aer Lingus of baggage charges on short-haul flights. p
Family pleads for information on murder
The family of murdered Dublin woman Siobhán Kearney (38) has appealed to anyone with information about her killing to come forward to "clear their conscience and release us from this hell". p
Naval Service accused of failing to monitor signalling system
A trawler skipper and close friend of missing Kinsale fisherman Ger Bohan has accused the Naval Service of failing to properly monitor a signalling system which would have alerted them much earlier to the disappearance of Mr Bohan's boat. p
Greens want to reduce number of prison places
The Green Party has proposed a reduction in the number of prisoners and prison spaces in the Republic in the medium to long term under a series of reforms of the penal and criminal justice system. p
Folens widow condemns RTÉ's allegations
The widow of the late educational publisher Albert Folens has condemned allegations made last night on RTÉ, which claimed her husband was a member of the Gestapo. p

World

34,400 civilians killed in Iraq last year, says UN
IRAQ: The UN said yesterday that the civilian death toll in Iraq last year was 34,452 - much higher than previous estimates - as an explosion outside a Baghdad university killed a further 65 people. p
Secret talks explored deal between Israel and Syria
ISRAEL: Eight meetings, facilitated by an unnamed European mediator, took place between 2004 and 2006, writes Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem p
Campbell pleads guilty to assaulting her maid
US: In keeping with the dictates of fashion, Naomi Campbell arrived at Manhattan criminal court a little later than the appointed time of 9.30am to plead guilty to assaulting her housekeeper with a mobile phone. p
Blair says union good for Scots and English
UK: British prime minister Tony Blair has dismissed calls for an "English parliament" while declaring himself confident that the United Kingdom would survive the renewed nationalist challenge in Scotland. p

Finance

Bupa could face €5m legal bill for court action
Health insurance company Bupa Ireland could face a legal bill of about €5 million arising from its recent unsuccessful High Court challenge to the Government's planned risk equalisation scheme in the sector. p
Dublin pubs' sale value hits €180m
The value of pubs sold in Dublin rose by 16 per cent last year, reflecting the increasing demand from developers for large suburban pubs for mixed-use redevelopment. p
Braun's €176m writedown adds to losses
Dental and personal care products group Braun Oral B wrote off €176.52 million from the books of its main Irish unit in the weeks after its parent, Gillette, merged in 2005 with Procter & Gamble (P&G), the US consumer products giant. p

Front Page

Two rescued from sinking fishing vessel off Wexford
A Co Wexford skipper and his crewman were recovering last night after their fishing vessel sank east of Tuskar Rock lighthouse.

Sport

Murphy, Kearney included in squad
RUGBY: Virtually anyone who is proven, fit and in form was named yesterday in Eddie O'Sullivan's 35-man squad for the forthcoming Six Nations. There's a modicum of newish faces, but for the most part the squad represents form and the extraordinarily rude health, literally, in which Irish rugby finds itself. p
Keep an eye on big brothers
GAA: Pat Comer's splendid television study on the Ó hAilpín brothers, showing tomorrow night, is not to be missed, writes Tom Humphries p
Teofilo can head a classic year for Irish
RACING: Irish trainers will go into this year's flat campaign with officially their strongest pool of classic talent in a quarter of a century. But despite that, 2007 could still end up being dominated by Teofilo, who has been crowned Europe's champion juvenile of 2006. p
Real chief criticises fans and players
Primera Liga: Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has criticised the club's players and its fans and said David Beckham was going to Hollywood to be "half a film star" in a speech to university students yesterday. His comments at the Villanueva University Centre were recorded without the knowledge of Real Madrid and later aired on national radio. p