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Philip Carberry (left) congratulates his sister, Nina, after her victory in the Cross Country Chase on Heads Onthe Ground. Earlier, Philip guided home Sublimity to victory in the Champion Hurdle.

Photograph: David Maher.

Peter Barry's children to share €41m from family firm
The six children of former minister for foreign affairs Peter Barry are set to realise up to €41 million from a distribution of assets in Barry's Tea, the Cork-based import and distribution business that has been in the family's ownership since 1901.

Credit card surcharges by retailers set to be outlawed
The Government is to ban retailers from levying extra charges on consumers for paying by credit card or failing to pay by direct debit.
More than 100 abductions of children reported last year
The number of child abduction cases dealt with by the authorities here last year was the highest on record, with an increase of almost 20 per cent on the previous year, figures published by the Minister for Justice indicate.

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Ireland

Paisley encouraged by political progress so far
Separate meetings today between DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley and British prime minister Tony Blair and chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown could have a crucial bearing on whether a powersharing government will be established by the deadline of Monday week. p
One in 10 schools not giving sex education
One in 10 secondary schools does not teach any form of sex education despite it being a required part of the curriculum, it has emerged. p
Government accused of neglecting education
A powerful new education partnership, representing parents, teacher unions and school managers at second level, has accused the Government of "foostering along" instead of framing a coherent policy and intends to make education an election issue. p
Rape victim calls on DPP to appeal suspended sentence
A rape victim whose attacker was given a suspended sentence in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin this week says she is "absolutely devastated" by the outcome and is calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal the sentence. p
Irish racing in fine fettle as patriotic punters are rewarded
Frank McNally at Cheltenham: The Irish injury jinx struck again on the eve of Cheltenham. As if the loss of War of Attrition (tendon strain) and Harchibald (leg operation) wasn't bad enough, the festival also got under way without Horse Racing Ireland's glamorous PR manager, Tamso Doyle (broken ankle), who had been struck down on a skiing holiday in France. p
Pope says celibacy obligatory for priests
Pope Benedict XVI has reiterated his support for priestly celibacy, saying the example of Christ's virginity was a principal reason why the tradition remains in the Catholic Church. p
Woman says she took knife to scene of killing
A woman has told a murder trial jury how she brought a kitchen knife in a child's schoolbag to a woman accused of murder after receiving a phone call from her. p
EU to hold talks with US over airport security
Security rules operating in European airports since last November, which retailers say have had a significant impact on duty free sales, are to be discussed at the upcoming EU- US summit next month, when officials will examine the possibility of striking a bilateral accord on the issue. p
Gagging clause difficulties for consultant talks
Talks on a revised contract for hospital consultants are to face new difficulties when they resume today with a row over the right of doctors to speak out publicly on behalf of patients. p
PSNI say murders of two men in Belfast linked
The PSNI has confirmed that the murders of two men found in west and north Belfast on Monday were linked and that there was a dissident republican connection to the killings. p

Finance

Aer Lingus reports 5% decrease in profits to €77.4m
Profits after tax fell 5 per cent to €77.4 million at Aer Lingus last year due to the combined costs of mounting a defence to Ryanair's takeover approach, a sharp rise in the price of fuel and the effects of a terrorism incident in the UK last summer. p
Smurfit Kappa returns to stock market
Packaging group Smurfit Kappa will return to the stock market this morning with a likely share price of €16.50 and a market capitalisation of some €3.6 billion. p
O2 Ireland seeking 100 redundancies in Dublin
Mobile-phone firm O2 Ireland is seeking 100 redundancies from its staff in Dublin in a development that follows moves by its biggest rival Vodafone to let 80 staff go. p
Calyx board confirms founder's buyout offer
The board of IT services firm Calyx has confirmed that it has received an initial buyout approach from chief executive and company founder Maurice Healy. p

World

Draft Bill sets legally binding carbon targets
UK: British prime minister Tony Blair has vowed Britain will lead the world in battling climate change, as his environment secretary David Miliband unveiled proposals to set legally binding carbon reduction targets, Frank Millar , London Editor. p
Kennedy ends attempt to draft immigration bill
US: Senator Edward Kennedy has abandoned efforts to draft a new comprehensive immigration reform bill that would legalise the status of most of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US, including thousands of undocumented Irish citizens, Denis Staunton in Washington. p
Experts say 25% of US veterans mentally ill
US: High rates of mental health disorders are being diagnosed among US military personnel soon after being released from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to investigators in San Francisco. p

Sport

Munster also hit by loss of O'Connell
RUGBY: Munster's worst fears were confirmed yesterday when Paul O'Connell was ruled out of the defending champions' Heineken European Cup quarter-final away to Llanelli on March 30th. p
Kerr agrees to St Pat's return
SOCCER: The decision by Dublin property developer Garrett Kelleher to purchase St Patrick's Athletic, guaranteeing the club remains in Inchicore and to invest substantially in the Richmond Park facilities and new players has persuaded Brian Kerr to take up the role of director of football. p
Murphy leaves it late for equaliser
Championship/Sunderland 2 Stoke City 2: Hardly allowing their hosts room to breath, let alone exchange slick passes, Stoke City produced a diligent, disciplined performance even Roy Keane must grudgingly have admired. Creditably, Tony Pulis's team looked to attack at every opportunity and nearly subjected Sunderland to their first Championship defeat of 2007. p