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

A garda at an overturned lorry on the flyover at the M1 motorway at the Stockhole Lane Roundabout near Dublin airport: the vehicle was blown over during high winds yesterday. The road was closed until late afternoon.

Photograph: Collins

Leading financial firms vulnerable to hackers
Hundreds of computer networks operated by Irish businesses, including major financial institutions, are vulnerable to hackers because basic security procedures have not been implemented.

Rabbitte ready to join with FF, claims McDowell
In a vigorous pre-election skirmish yesterday the leaders of the Progressive Democrats and Labour clashed over the credibility of the coalition options being put forward by their parties.
Man died after ventilator withdrawn at his request
The president of the Medical Council has described as "exceedingly rare" the case of a paralysed man who died after doctors withdrew an artificial ventilator at his own request.

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Ireland

Inflation may lead to pay talks
Trade unions may seek to renegotiate the new national pay agreement if the inflation rate continues to rise, Ictu general secretary David Begg has warned. p
New EU citizens not able to claim refugee status
Nationals from EU member states, including some 220 Romanians who applied for asylum here over the past week alone, are not eligible to do so except in exceptional circumstances, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell announced yesterday. p
Opposition parties join in concern over 'child' referendum
Both Fine Gael and Labour have expressed concern that the Government will hold one composite referendum in March to cover both children's rights and child protection issues. p
Female prisoners living in cramped conditions
Female prisoners held in Limerick Prison are living in cramped and claustrophobic conditions, sharing cells designed for single occupancy, the Inspector of Prisons has said. p
Airports,roads and ferries disrupted by storms
Record wind speeds caused major travel disruption yesterday, particularly in Dublin, creating conditions which were described as "unprecedented". p
No evidence to support Fahey rumour claims
A Garda investigation has uncovered no evidence to support allegations made by Minister of State for Justice Frank Fahey that individuals in his Galway constituency had embarked on a rumour campaign aimed at damaging his career. p
Dive teams study trawler design in rescue bid
A Naval Service dive team has obtained design drawings of the sunken trawler Pere Charles and is devising a strategy to gain access to the vessel and search for the bodies of its missing crew as soon as there is a reasonable break in the bad weather. p
Patients' waiting times decrease, says HSE
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has said that with the exception of three hospitals, there has been a significant improvement in the number of patients having to wait for more than 24 hours in A&E departments for admission to wards. p
Convicted drugs dealer found guilty of rape
A convicted armed robber and drugs dealer has been found guilty by a jury of raping his partner's teenage daughter after she returned home in the early hours of the morning from the Vatican disco in Dublin city centre. p
Security firm to use remote locks to deter raids
One of the State's biggest security firms has decided to introduce a remote locking system when delivering money to banks and ATM machines in an attempt to reduce the risk of its staff being targeted by armed gangs. p

Finance

Eircom considers offer of 3G mobile licence
Eircom is debating whether to accept an offer of the final third generation (3G) mobile licence from ComReg, the sector regulator which initially gave the €114 million licence to the troubled Smart Telecom. p
Mullin's €200m equity fund
Brendan Mullin, the former stockbroker, fund manager and international rugby player, has left Quinlan Private to set up his own €200 million private equity fund. p
Apple makes quarterly profit of $1bn
Sales of more than 21 million iPods in the final three months of 2006 contributed to record quarterly profits at Apple of $1 billion (€772 million) in the period, on revenues of $7.1 billion. p

World

Bush drops electronic spying without warrant
US: The Bush administration has abandoned a controversial programme that allowed the National Security Agency to spy on phone calls and e-mails without a court warrant and will now seek approval for such eavesdropping from a secret court. p
Merkel faces uncertainty as Stoiber calls it a day
GERMANY: Senior German conservative Edmund Stoiber announced his departure as Bavarian state premier yesterday, beginning a period of uncertainty for the conservative camp of Chancellor Angela Merkel. p
Yellow River suffers as China powers ahead
CHINA: Hydropower projects, less rainfall and severe pollution are just some of the problems afflicting 'China's Sorrow', writes Clifford Coonan in Beijing p
Ukrainian couple admit killing, eating neighbour
UKRAINE: A Ukrainian couple have been held for killing and then eating a neighbour after a late-night drinks party ended in cannibalism. p

Sport

Mourinho welcomes show of support
SOCCER: Jose Mourinho and the Chelsea board yesterday gave a first public show of unity, indicating the rift of recent days is close to being healed, but the manager warned he would not tolerate major interference in his role. p
French say boycott not empty threat
RUGBY/European Cup: France's top 14 clubs insisted yesterday their boycott of next season's Heineken European Cup was not an empty threat, and have called on the International Rugby Board (IRB) to take action to halt the proliferation of international fixtures and set up a sub-committee which includes club officials to help run the professional game. p
Final frame woe for Doherty
SNOOKER: Ronnie O'Sullivan won a final-frame decider to send Ken Doherty spinning out of the Masters yesterday afternoon. p