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Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea during the 82nd cadet class commissioning ceremony at the Cadet School Military College, in the Curragh, Co Kildare, yesterday.

Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

Primate says end royal ban against Catholics
The new primate-elect of the Church of Ireland has called for the removal of the ban on Catholics, or those married to Catholics, from becoming British monarch.

Rabbitte says he wants FF out of office
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte has said he cannot envisage any circumstances in which he would serve in government with Fianna Fáil, and has reiterated his commitment to put both of the current Coalition parties out of office in the general election.
Three pathologists' reports for Murphy inquest hearing
The reports of three pathologists are to be heard at the preliminary hearing in March of an inquest into the death of Brian Murphy, the teenager killed in a fracas outside a Dublin nightclub in August 2000.

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Finance

Corporate firms in Ireland for 'tax rate'
The Republic's corporation tax rate is the prime reason why multinational companies choose to remain in Ireland, Microsoft Ireland managing director Joe Macri said yesterday. p
Ryanair 'glitch' offers free flights
An e-mail providing instructions on how to get free flights booked through the Ryanair website has been circulating among Irish internet users since last Friday. p
Irish Ferries bids adieu to old 'Normandy' on French route
For many it brings back memories of 17 hours sharing a grotty cabin en route to a family holiday in France. However, this may not be the case for much longer as Irish Ferries gets ready to replace the 25-year-old MV Normandy, and those unwilling to fly may soon be making the trip across the Celtic Sea on a modern ship with up-to-date facilities. p
Intel reports 42% slump in profits last year
Profits at multinational Intel, parent of Republic's biggest employer, slumped by 42 per cent last year, figures released yesterday show. p

Ireland

€70,000 for family in ruling against Garda
High Court judge has awarded €70,000 damages to a family after upholding their claim that gardaí had wrongfully disclosed to the media information that a relative of theirs, a convicted rapist, was living with them for a time. p
Choice of Mater site reaffirmed by Government
The Cabinet yesterday reaffirmed its decision to locate the new national children's hospital at Dublin's Mater hospital. p
Journalist Seán Mac Réamoinn dies in Dublin hospital aged 85 years
One of Ireland's leading broadcasters and journalist in Irish and English, Seán Mac Réamoinn, died at St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, yesterday morning aged 85 years. p
British coast guard asked to be on lookout for bodies
The Irish Coast Guard has notified its British counterpart to be on the lookout over the coming weeks for the bodies of fishermen lost off the southeast coast last week as easterly tides may wash them across the Irish Sea to Britain. p
Irish battlefields to be better protected
Experts in history, archaeology and mapping appointed to committee to examine 75 sites Compiled by Liam Reid p
Pilot scheme for rural pub buses
The Department of Transport has received a commitment that funding for a proposed night-time bus service for rural pub-goers will not come from its budget. p
Dioxins in fish here well below EU limits, says FSAI
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has set out to reassure consumers that levels of potentially harmful contamination in fish available on the market here were well below current EU limits. p
OPW dilutes one-way plans for Phoenix Park
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has substantially diluted its plans to introduce a one-way system throughout the Phoenix Park following a dispute with Dublin City Council over the traffic changes. p
Appointment of new deputy Garda commissioner
The Government yesterday announced the appointment of Assistant Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to the post of deputy commissioner with responsibility for strategic change management. p

World

US and N Korea talks raise hope of breakthrough
US: The US and North Korea held a second day of unprecedented talks yesterday, raising hopes of a breakthrough in efforts to curb the communist state's nuclear weapons programme. p
Senate drafts resolution condemning Iraq plan
US: Senate Democrats and a leading Republican war critic have drafted a resolution condemning President George Bush's troop build-up in Iraq as contrary to the American national interest. p
Olmert under pressure as army chief quits
Israel: Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and defence minister Amir Peretz faced renewed questions yesterday about their management of Israel's military campaign against Hizbullah in Lebanon last summer, after the army chief-of-staff announced his resignation. p
Merkel calls for timetable on EU constitution
EU: The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, yesterday told the European Parliament it must set a timetable for adopting an EU constitution and she would attempt to move the issue forward by speaking to the countries that have not yet ratified it. p

Sport

French boycott threatens cup future
RUGBY: European Cup The Heineken European Cup is facing the greatest threat to its existence in eight years after the French Top 14 clubs voted unanimously to boycott the tournament next season. Furious behind-the-scenes negotiations will continue apace to resolve issues that are not really of the ERC's making, before the next meeting of ERC shareholders on February 6th. But the portents are not good. p
Roeder has no excuse for humiliation
SOCCER/FA Cup Third-round replays: Newcastle 1, Birmingham 5 To think this night began with some optimism locally. Humiliation felt too strong a word for what happened next, until Sebastian Larsson made it 4-1 six minute from time. DJ Campbell added a fifth in the 89th minute. p
And it's all about to begin again
GAELIC GAMES: Keith Duggan was in Ballinode, Sligo, for a match that marked the beginning of John O'Mahony's period in charge of Mayo p