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England fans from Compass Press printers in Richmond, Surrey, dressed as superheroes and characters from TV shows, enjoying the craic in Temple Bar before today's Ireland v England Six Nations rugby match at Croke Park.

Photograph: Haydn West

Cowen warns of dangers of 'sacrificial' tax cuts
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen last night responded to election promises of recent weeks by warning against sacrificing Ireland's economic success on "the altar of short-term political opportunism." Stephen Collins , Political Editor, reports.
Auld enemy's visit sets Ireland a definitive test of its maturity
For anyone waking up this morning with a lingering niggle about admitting remnants of empire to the home of the Gael, there is an antidote. Get out and talk to them. (This may not be as easy as it seems. They got only 7,000 tickets, poor sods, and their lovely, white England jerseys are so prone to staining that they tend to keep them for good wear, so the fans are not that easy to spot. Or else, they're afraid of us), writes Kathy Sheridan
Rift emerges between Minister and chief of Defence Forces
A rift has developed between Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan after the general commented publicly about national and international defence policy, writes Conor Lally , Crime Correspondent

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Ireland

Greens to seek overhaul of local government
A major reform of local government, including the scrapping of the four existing Dublin local authorities, will be a key demand of the Green Party in post-election coalition talks, it emerged last night, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent, in Galway p
Quinn gets 'radical' cut in price paid for Bupa
Insurance tycoon Seán Quinn secured a "radical" cut in the price he will pay for health insurer Bupa Ireland after the Government closed off the loophole that would have enabled him to avoid making risk equalisation payments to VHI. Arthur Beesley , Senior Business Correspondent, reports. p
Surge in private car sales sets January record
A record number of vehicles for a single month were licensed in January, according to figures produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). p
Hotelier gets €50,000 for libel by newspaper
An 80-year-old Waterford city hotelier was awarded €50,000 libel damages and costs yesterday after a High Court jury decided a reference to his hotel in a Sunday World article wrongly meant he was a brothel-keeper. p
Passionist priest Blessed Charles to be canonised
The Vatican has announced that the Passionist priest Blessed Charles of Mount Argus in Dublin will be canonised by Pope Benedict in Rome on June 3rd next. p
IRFU is confident big day will be a success
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) says it is confident today's match between Ireland and England at Croke Park will be a trouble-free occasion. Conor Lally and Ronan McGreevy report. p
Match to decide 'Fr Ted' festival rights
There may be no rows about flags and anthems, no protests, no queues and no ticket touts. However, if it's ancient rivalries and historic battles you want, forget about Croke Park - Kilronan's beach is the place to be at low tide tomorrow on the Aran island of Inis Mór. p
Van mania sweeps Irish Oscars
The Oscar Wilde awards are a kind of a mini-Irish Oscars, so it was appropriate that a soft rain soaked the boulevards of Hollywood on Thursday evening. Instead of a red carpet there was a green one and to make the Irish feel even more at home the buffet included several large platters of crisps. p
Docklands body denies U2 Tower design 'binned'
The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) has denied that designs for the proposed U2 Tower, intended as an architectural landmark for the city, have been "binned", as claimed by the Architects Journal this week. p

World

Blaze at care home in Latvia kills 25 residents
LATVIA: A fire at a Latvian home for elderly and disabled people killed at least 25 people yesterday in one of the worst fires in the Baltic nation's history. p
Judge doubts he can rule on Smith case
US: A Florida judge yesterday added to the uncertainty over the paternity and the future of Anna Nicole Smith's baby when he said he was not sure he had the authority to decide the case. The former Playboy centrefold, who died on February 8th, listed her lawyer Howard Stern as the father, on her five-month-old daughter Dannielynn's birth certificate. p
Prodi likely to resume power in Italy
ITALY: Outgoing Italian prime minister Romano Prodi, whose government fell after losing a foreign policy vote in the Senate on Wednesday, may today be asked by state president Giorgio Napolitano to form a new, almost identical executive as a solution to Italy's current constitutional crisis. p
US soldier gets 100 years for Iraq murders and rape
US: A US soldier who pleaded guilty to raping and murdering a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, and killing her family, has been sentenced to 100 years in a military prison. However, he will be eligible for parole in 10 years. p

Finance

Ireland and UK to have new power link
The national grid and the energy regulator are planning to go ahead with an interconnector that will link the Irish and British electricity markets - a project valued at €300 million. Barry O'Halloran reports. p
Supertrawler 'Atlantic Dawn' sold to Dutch fishing firm
The Irish supertrawler Atlantic Dawn, owned by the late Killybegs fisherman Kevin McHugh, has been sold to a leading Dutch fishing company, writes Lorna Siggins , Marine Correspondent. p
Aer Lingus preparing for walkout
Aer Lingus management are working on contingency plans to enable as many passengers as possible to travel in the event of a walkout by its staff next week. Claire Shoesmith reports . p

Sport

Only a game, but what a game
RUGBY: If ever a rugby match cannot come quickly enough, this is it. Not only a nation awaits today's update on Jonny Wilkinson's tight hamstring, and no less than the return of Brian O'Driscoll, today's stage - assuredly the sports occasion of the year in Ireland - demands the presence of the best. p
Keely back in hot seat at Tolka Park
Shelbourne crisis: Dermot Keely was last night announced as Shelbourne's new manager on a day of frantic comings and goings at Tolka Park. p
They shoulda been contenders
Donegal v Dublin: Tom Humphries on the enigmatic footballers from Donegal who have flattered to deceive since All-Ireland glory in 1992 p