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

Horses take part in a gallop at Cheltenham racecourse. The annual National Hunt Festival is due to start today at the Gloucestershire track in England.

Photograph: Julian Herbert/Getty Images.

Commissioner says coverage of garda death 'disgusting'
Some of the media coverage of the death of a young female sergeant during childbirth has been described as "disgusting, hurtful, tasteless and obscene" by Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy.

Unions oppose proposed electricity reforms
Plans for major reforms in the electricity market are facing serious opposition from trade unions who have accused the Government of reneging on previous commitments in relation to the ESB.
Dissident republicans may be linked to two murders
Dissident republicans may be linked to the murders of two men in west and north Belfast yesterday, according to sources.

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Ireland

Nenagh man jailed for 15 years for raping widow (75)
A Tipperary man has been jailed for 15 years for raping a 75-year- old widow after he broke into her house. Joseph Cummins (20), of St Joseph's Park, Nenagh, was found guilty in January by a jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick of raping and anally raping the woman in May 2005. p
Homecare services must be regulated, expert says
There is currently no legislative framework for the regulation or inspection of homecare services provided for older people in the Republic, a conference in Dublin heard yesterday. p
New Bill to end judges' discretion in serious drug cases
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is to eliminate the "exceptional" circumstances in which judges have discretion to give less than the minimum 10-year mandatory sentence to serious drugs offenders under new legislation to be published tomorrow. p
'Irish Times' editor defends article
The editor of The Irish Times , Geraldine Kennedy, has said in High Court documents that it is "a matter of legitimate and significant public and political interest" that the Taoiseach received substantial cash payments from businessmen when he was minister for finance in 1993. p
Well-heeled hoof it back to the Horseshoe as Shelbourne reopens
Miriam Lord: Easter week 1916, and the Shelbourne Hotel is under regular fire from rebel forces. Afternoon tea is transferred to rooms in the rear of the building, an area that would later become the Horseshoe Bar. It's been a plush little bunker in the centre of Dublin ever since. p
Sargent defends plan to review roads programme
Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has described as "distortion" suggestions by Tánaiste Michael McDowell that the party plans to scrap a large number of road developments if it is elected to government. p
Teacher seeks High Court help in discrimination case
A man who claims he was better qualified than a woman who was offered a place on a postgraduate social work course is to ask the High Court to assist him in proving he was discriminated against on the grounds of gender. p
Joint drive against closure of St Luke's
A joint campaign to save St Luke's Hospital in Rathgar, Dublin, will be launched today by patients of the hospital and the People Before Profit Alliance. p
Water charges may go if DUP agrees to share power
Northern secretary Peter Hain has signalled that water charges in the North could be abolished if the DUP agrees to share power with Sinn Féin and the other parties by Monday week. p

Finance

Ardagh in €600m buyout of Rexam glass unit
Paul Coulson's Ardagh Glass will have annual sales of some €1.25 billion after its €660 million buyout of the European glass unit in British group Rexam, a deal which will bring to 22 the number of glass plants it operates in Europe. p
Eastwood firm buys UK retail operations for £100m
Eastwood Property Group, the property company run by millionaire bookmaker and former boxing promoter Barney Eastwood, has acquired three significant retail operations in England for £100 million. p
Ford sells luxury unit for £479m
Ford Motor Company is selling British luxury carmaker Aston Martin to a group fronted by former Benetton and Bar motor-racing boss David Richards in a deal worth £479 million (€701.8 million). p
IAWS considers IPO for its agribusiness firm
Food group IAWS is considering financing options including a possible initial public offering (IPO) for the development of Origin Enterprises, the holding company for its agribusiness and property interests. p

World

Chirac silent as Villepin rallies to Sarkozy
France: President Jacques Chirac rises before dawn to read the newspapers, then listens to the breakfast radio programmes. p
Tsvangirai allegedly tortured in police custody
Zimbabwe: Pro-democracy activists in Zimbabwe fear a fresh onslaught from the government after the arrest and alleged torture of the country's main opposition leader. p
Bush offers help in war on drugs
Central America: President George Bush visited Guatemalan hill towns yesterday to promote US efforts to fight poverty in Latin America, where Washington's power is increasingly being questioned by leftist leaders. p

Sport

Brennan decides to retire now
Rugby : Trevor Brennan last night announced his immediate retirement from rugby. p
Under-fire under-21 backed at launch
News round-up : With speculation rife that the under-21 football championship might be axed as one of the measures to combat burnout in young players, there was support for the competition from a couple of quarters yesterday. p
The rise and rise of the one-day game
Cricket/ World Cup : Like some of the best ideas, the first Cricket World Cup was thought up on the train home from work. p