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Cynthia Owen leaves Dublin County Coroner's Court with her husband Simon yesterday, after the jury found that the murdered baby at the centre of the case was Ms Owen's child.

Photograph: Julien Behal/PA

PDs, FF accuse Rabbitte of turning to auction politics
The Tánaiste, Michael McDowell, last night accused Labour leader Pat Rabbitte of abandoning conviction politics in favour of auction politics in his sudden conversion to tax cuts. Stephen Collins , Political Editor, reports.

Sanctions had been advised against obstetricians
The fitness to practise committee of the Medical Council had recommended sanctions be imposed on the three obstetricians who provided reports in 1998 exonerating the practice of Drogheda obstetrician Dr Michael Neary, it has emerged. Eithne Donnellan , Martin Wall and Carl O'Brien report.
Mother weeps as her baby is finally named
Noleen Murphy was her name. The 5 1/2lb baby born to an 11-year-old child nearly 34 years ago, the newborn who had hardly a chance to draw breath before being stabbed more than 40 times in the neck, chest and face, then dumped in a Dún Laoghaire laneway, has a name, writes Kathy Sheridan

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Ireland

Tánaiste stands over €1bn price tag for tribunal
The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, stood by his claim yesterday that the total cost of the Mahon tribunal would be close to €1 billion, despite Thursday's letter from tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon that the cost will be less than a third of this, writes Liam Reid , Political Reporter p
Model primary school for Dublin
The State's first community school at primary level, which will be overseen by a local vocational educational committee (VEC), is to be located in Diswellstown, Co Dublin, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has announced. p
€36m plan for disadvantaged children
A €36 million programme to intervene in the lives of thousands of severely disadvantaged children will be announced by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Children Brian Lenihan next week. p
Top award for Bryan O'Brien
AIB/PPAI Awards: Irish Times photographer Bryan O'Brien was last night named AIB/PPAI Press Photographer of the Year at a function in Dublin. Three other Irish Times photographers received prizes - Brenda Fitzsimons, Alan Betson and Dara MacDonail. p
Waters' song to go to Eurovision
A song co-written by The Irish Times columnist John Waters has been chosen to represent Ireland at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. p
Patients restrained in chairs at home
Health Service Executive (HSE) inspectors who visited a nursing home in Enniscrone, Co Sligo, last October found four patients physically restrained in their chairs and many patients still dressed in their night attire at 11.30am. John Downes reports. p
Shell to Sea says it did 'not sanction' site break-in
The Shell to Sea campaign in north Mayo has dissociated itself from a security breach involving over 100 protesters at the Corrib gas terminal site, write Lorna Siggins and Tom Shiel in Bellanaboy, Co Mayo p
Labour's odd couple in winning form
The contrast between Labour's two candidates in Wicklow is striking, writes Miriam Lord , in Wicklow p
New devices to restore sight, movement
US festival of science: Modern electronics has helped blind people to regain limited sight and has enabled people who are paralysed to grasp objects and stand. The next generation of devices will also allow movement to be controlled by thought alone, writes Dick Ahlstrom , Science Editor, in San Francisco p

World

US to boycott Palestinian unity government, say diplomats
MIDDLE EAST: Prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said yesterday that he would form a Palestinian unity government within three weeks, but its future looked bleak after diplomats said that Washington planned to boycott it and keep sanctions in place. p
Republicans cross floor to vote censure of troop surge
US: The United States House of Representatives has taken the first step in a confrontation with President George Bush over the Iraq war by passing a resolution condemning his decision to send more US troops there. p
Talking our way out of a nuclear holocaust
IRAN: The use of military force against Iran to force an end to its nuclear programme would be disastrous, Mohamed ElBaradei tells Lara Marlowe p
Rare bottle Nazi wine due for auction today
BRITAIN: A bottle of Nazi wine from a collection understood to have been given to Adolf Hitler's officers to mark his 54th birthday is to be auctioned today. p

Finance

Harney should look at splitting VHI, says health insurance body
The Minister for Health should look into splitting the State-owned health insurer VHI into two or more smaller companies to increase competition in the market, a report by the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) has recommended. p
Aer Lingus to hire 300 pilots and cabin crew
Aer Lingus is planning to recruit more than 300 pilots and cabin crew this year to enable it expand its long-haul services and open its first base outside the Republic. p
2006 retail sales best in six years
Retailers enjoyed their best year in six years in 2006, according to figures released yesterday. A strong rise in December sales helped the sector record a 6.2 per cent increase last year - compared with 4.8 per cent growth in 2005 - putting in their strongest performance since 2000. p

Sport

Lacklustre Leinster nearly let it slip
Rugby - Celtic League: Leinster 13 Edinburgh 6 : It's hard to convey just how much a better side Leinster were in this Magners Celtic League match last night. p
Munster pack too much power
Rugby - Celtic League/ Borders 0 Munster 36: Munster marched on to their seventh win this season with a forward-inspired victory by five tries to nil over a lightweight Borders side in last night's Celtic League match at Netherdale. p
Ferguson backs Coppell's decision
Soccer/ FA Cup fifth round: Man Utd v Reading Old Trafford, 5.15pm On TV: BBC 1 Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has defended Steve Coppell's decision to send a Reading reserve team to Old Trafford for their FA Cup fifth-round match today. p