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Tánaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats Michael McDowell with parliamentary colleagues outside Leinster House yesterday. The party was unveiling the latest poster in its billboard campaign.

Ahern accepts Moriarty censure on cheques issue
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday he accepted the view of the Moriarty tribunal that the practice he had engaged in of pre-signing blank cheques from the Fianna Fáil party leader's account for Charles Haughey was undesirable.

Ahern and McDowell differ over future of tribunal
Differences have emerged between the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach about closing down the Mahon tribunal.
O'Brien nets $700-$800m in Caribbean mobile deal
Denis O'Brien, one of Ireland's wealthiest businessmen, has taken full ownership of the Digicel mobile phone operation in the Caribbean in a deal that will see him receive $700-$800 million in cash.

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Finance

Smurfit Kappa plans €1.3bn market flotation
Packaging giant Smurfit Kappa plans a €1.3 billion stock market flotation in the middle of March. Senior market sources expect the group to have a market capitalisation of some €2.5 billion after an initial public offering (IPO) on the Dublin and London markets. p
Ernst & Young resigns as auditor to Riverdeep
Ernst & Young has resigned as auditor to Riverdeep over "incorrect representations" about its lucrative contract with the firm that supplies educational software to the US retail market. p
Irish Times invests in paper group
The Irish Times Ltd has invested in Gazette Group Newspapers, which publishes three weekly papers in west Dublin. Initially The Irish Times will take a 43.8 per cent stake, but has the option to acquire full control. p
Cowen stresses benefits of peace
Achieving peace in Ireland was a major driving force behind the economic boom in the Republic, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen told an audience in Northern Ireland yesterday. p

World

EU endorses damning report over CIA renditions
EU: The European Parliament yesterday voted to adopt a report that strongly criticises 14 member states, including Ireland, for failing to deal properly with the rendition of terrorist suspects by the CIA. p
Ireland 12th in Unicef child wellbeing table
IRELAND: Despite strong economic growth over the last decade and sustained anti-poverty efforts, children growing up in Ireland suffer greater deprivation than those in most other wealthy countries, according to a UN study. p
Bush 'certain' Iran is supplying roadside bombs
IRAQ: President Bush has said he is certain that Iran is supplying deadly roadside bombs that have killed US soldiers in Iraq but he admitted he has no evidence that the orders came from the highest levels of government in Tehran. p
Body Shop founder suffering from hepatitis C
BRITIAN: The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick is suffering from liver damage after contracting the hepatitis C virus more than 35 years ago, she said on her website on yesterday. p

Ireland

Dalkey baby story 'very credible'
Two clinical psychologists who treated the woman who claims that as a child in south Dublin in 1973 she gave birth to a baby who was then murdered have told an inquest her story of sexual abuse and murder is "very credible" and "truthful and coherent". p
'Gesture' on Croke Park killings considered
The British government is considering making a symbolic gesture to mark the killing of 14 civilians by British security forces at Croke Park in 1920 when Northern Secretary Peter Hain attends the Ireland v England rugby match there next week. p
Private hospital contracts likely in May
Hopes by Minister for Health Mary Harney that she would see contracts for the building of eight private hospitals on public hospital sites signed by the end of April look set to be dashed. p
Croatian church to discourage Irish weddings
The Irish Bishops' Conference is to discuss a strongly-worded letter from church leaders in Croatia which criticises the behaviour of Irish "wedding tourists" to the country and suggests such weddings be discouraged. p
Minister defends plan to curb right to silence
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has strongly defended proposals to curb a suspect's right to silence, saying most people agreed that the refusal of serious criminals to answer questions in Garda custody was unacceptable. p
Bailey claims he was threatened by gardaí overdu Plantier case
English journalist Ian Bailey has claimed he was threatened by gardaí that he would be found shot dead in west Cork after they arrested him for questioning about the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier in December 1996. p
Couple marry after shooting during row
A Co Clare man who injured his then girlfriend with a shotgun blast during a row has since married her and they have had twins, a court heard yesterday. p
Close to 250 hopefuls to battle for 108 seats
Assembly elections: Almost 250 candidates will stand in the Northern Ireland Assembly election on March 7th, with 108 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to be elected across 18 constituencies. p

Sport

Arsenal finally find the finish
FA CUP Bolton - 1 Arsenal -3 After extra time A night of high drama and nerve-shredding football concluded with Freddie Ljungberg announcing his return from injury by sending Arsenal breathlessly into the fifth round. p
Stories of Sonia's retirement are well off the pace
Athletics News With the usual apologies to Mark Twain, reports of Sonia O'Sullivan's retirement have been greatly exaggerated. At the age of 37 she is clearly well into the twilight of her extraordinary career, but the idea that she'll run one last race on April 15th and then happily hang up her spikes is a long way from the reality. p
IRB ask French to suspend Brennan
The International Rugby Board (IRB) have become involved in the disciplinary case involving Ireland and Toulouse secondrow Trevor Brennan and the ERC, in which it is alleged the player entered the crowd during a European Cup match between his club and Ulster and became involved in a fracas with a spectator. p