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Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams speak to the media at Stormont yesterday.

Photograph: Paul Faith/PA

Paisley and Adams agree to form executive on May 8th
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair have hailed yesterday's first meeting and agreement between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams as a historic, reconciliatory and transforming moment in British-Irish history.
'Active citizenship' promoted by taskforce
Plans to introduce citizenship education into primary schools and encourage more people to vote in elections are among the recommendations of a Government taskforce aimed at promoting greater involvement by citizens in the community.
200 jobs at risk at Cork hospital - HSE
Up to 200 jobs created as part of the new €75 million maternity hospital in Cork could be lost if the facility does not open next weekend, the Health Service Executive has warned.

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Finance

Property portfolio delivers 22% gains for BoI
Irish investors spent almost €11 billion on commercial property last year, with Irish, British and European markets being the favoured locations, a new report has revealed. p
Decline in Asian markets hits trade surplus
Exports of goods to almost all Asian markets fell last year as Ireland's trade surplus narrowed for the fourth year in succession. Detailed figures published yesterday by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicate that the State's trade surplus of €28.3 billion is now the lowest since 2000. p
'Flexible' finance law urged
Regulation of financial services needs to be measured and appropriate to enable capital markets to be competitive and efficient, the Finance Dublin annual conference was told yesterday. p
ESB debt of €2bn may have to be renegotiated
The ESB will have to renegotiate its €2 billion debt if it is forced to transfer the ownership of its electricity transmission grid to another State entity. p

Ireland

Cancer report says survival rates improving
There have been improvements in overall survival rates for three of the four major cancers occurring in Ireland but there are still variations in cancer survival between regions, a report published by the National Cancer Registry (NCR) today shows. p
Ireland joins campaign against use of nuclear energy
Ireland has joined three northern European countries to launch an international campaign against the use of nuclear energy as a solution to climate change. p
Tetra to supply Garda digital radio service
A digital radio service for gardaí, which cannot be scanned by criminals, is to be rolled out in the next two years, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has said. p
New code aims to make homes energy efficient
New design guidelines should help to make the 600,000 new homes expected to be built in Ireland over the next 10 years more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable, according to Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal Noel Ahern. p
Docklands apartment scheme wins top architecture award
Clarion Quay, a Dublin Docklands development of 186 apartments - 37 of which are "social and affordable" homes - has won the latest Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Silver Medal for Housing, for the years 2002-2003. p
Councillors deny being aware of breaching ethics rules
Two town councillors yesterday denied they had knowingly breached ethics legislation as a result of their role in a controversial attempt to rezone land around the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry, last March. p
Report urges seizure of pubs where drugs sold
The Criminal Assets Bureau should be able to seize/take possession of pubs and clubs in which drugs are repeatedly sold, according to an Oireachtas report due to be published today. p
Stall tactics: new farmers' market opens in Ballymun
The launch of the new Ballymun farmers' market took place yesterday at the Ballymun Civic Centre in Dublin. The market, which offers organic produce, homemade jams and baked goods, as well as crafts and recycled furniture, among other things, is part of an effort to promote social and community development in the area. p
Wicklow councillor may face ethics investigation
The ethics registrar in Wicklow County Council has been called on to investigate the "declaration of interest" returns made by Independent councillor Tommy Cullen after it emerged that his return covering January 2005-January 2006 was not contained on the council's files. p

World

White House backs Gonzales in sackings row
US: The White House has reaffirmed its support for embattled attorney general Alberto Gonzales after senior Republicans joined Democrats in questioning the truthfulness of his statements about the firing of eight federal prosecutors , writes Denis Staunton in Washinton. p
'Nice guy Sarko' quits job to focus on campaign
FRANCE: Nicolas Sarkozy already sees himself as president of France, writes Lara Marlowe in Paris. After all, the outgoing interior minister and right-wing presidential candidate told staff at his farewell extravaganza yesterday: "I'm just trying to cross the street." p
Japanese PM apologises for wartime sex slaves
JAPAN: Prime minister Shinzo Abe attempted yesterday to head off weeks of diplomatic tension by apologising in parliament for wartime Japan's enslavement of Asian women, but the controversy is unlikely to end there. p

Sport

Media given short shrift
SOCCER: It may just be that he took his media adviser's advice to "keep it brief" a little too literally but Steve Staunton's decision to speak at yesterday's pitch-side briefing after training in Malahide for just 32 seconds before ignoring questions and walking away appeared to signal a deterioration in his already difficult relationship with the press pack. p
Kidney keeps options open
RUGBY: Declan Kidney yesterday announced a 28-man Munster squad for their Heineken European Cup quarter-final against Llanelli next weekend, although the inclusion of a number of players, who were unavailable against Ulster in Ravenhill last week, would suggest Kidney is hopeful they will have recovered by the time the team takes to the pitch under floodlights at Stradey Park on Friday night. p
Martinez may be next for Dunne
BOXING: European champion Bernard Dunne and his manager, Brian Peters, have never been ones to dive into their next challenge without due diligence. p

Education

A lesson in turning the tables
At Collinstown Park Community College in Dublin west, progress is being made in getting pupils to finish the Leaving Cert and go on to third level education, but the State needs to weigh in with more targeted funding . Louise Holden writes p