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Lithuanian national Aleksejus Belousovas leaving Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday after he was jailed for 15 years for the attempted murder in Dublin in 2005 of French woman Barbara Riouall (24). Ms Riouall turned down the chance of a face-to-face meeting with Belousovas (29) in what would have been the first instance of restorative justice at the Central Criminal Court. In May 2005, Belousovas stabbed the marketing student and left her for dead.

Photograph: Julien Behal/PA

Economy slows down as housing, exports decline
Signals of a slowdown in the economy emerged yesterday with the release of figures which showed a drop for the first time in new house starts and a slide in exports.
Ireland rediscover adventure in tale of unexpected
Ah, at last a tale of the unexpected to tell. It was still and cold in Croke Park, and we braced ourselves for more of the numbing ordinariness that Ireland have produced under Steve Staunton. Instead we got a grand roaring brazier of a game, stoked by an early goal and a sense of adventure that we thought had gone forever.
FF conflict as two Senators rebel against Government
Two Fianna Fáil Senators were in open rebellion against the Government last night, with one resigning from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and the other attempting to vote against the Government's own Finance Bill.

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Ireland

Lowry's last day at tribunal that 'took over life'
The former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry said the tribunal has taken over his life and become "a cancer". p
Mental health services 'inadequate'
The lack of mental health services available to patients in the community has been strongly criticised by the independent watchdog for the mental health sector. p
Sister of road victim appeals to motorists
The sister of a mother of one who was killed in Tuesday's pile-up on the M7 has pleaded with motorists to slow down and called for a system to be put in place to deal with bad weather on motorways. p
New agency set to promote involvement in community life
The Government is to set up a new office charged with implementing new ways of encouraging more people to get involved in community life. The non-statutory Active Citizenship Office will include a team of officials from various Government departments that will report directly to the Taoiseach. p
Student tells of trauma since attack
A French student who was stabbed and left for dead in the stairwell of her apartment block told yesterday how she had no concept of "tomorrow" since the attack. p
TCD reveals details of forum on acting needs
A Trinity College Dublin (TCD) forum to review the needs of undergraduate actor training in Ireland, which met for the first time earlier this week, is extremely unlikely to conclude its work before the summer, it has emerged. p
Aosdána bestows highest honour on painter
The painter Patrick Scott has been elected Saoi of Aosdána. The highest honour within the artists' group, it recognises outstanding achievement by an artist and is a position that is held for life. Mr Scott will receive the symbol of the office of Saoi, the gold torc, from President Mary McAleese in the coming months. p
Sargent wins politician of the year award
The leader of the Green Party, Trevor Sargent, has been selected as the Magill politician of the year for 2007 by a judging panel composed of journalists and political pundits. p

World

British furious at propaganda video of sailors
UK/IRAN: Iran dramatically raised the stakes in its tense diplomatic stand-off with Britain last night, broadcasting a video of the British sailors and marines seized last week, including a "confession" that they had entered Iranian waters. p
Three Italians arrested in EU bribery inquiry
EU: Belgian police have arrested three Italians in connection with a multimillion euro fraud involving the award of public tenders for EU representative offices abroad. p
Paris station turns into guerrilla battlefield
FRANCE: Racial tension becomes an election issue after the Gare du Nord riot, writes Lara Marlowe in Paris p
Abortion debate rages in Poland
POLAND: Pro- and anti-abortion groups demonstrated in Warsaw yesterday as politicians debated a proposal that could tighten Poland's already restrictive abortion laws. p
Evacuation of Homesh: Israelis removed from abandoned settlement
ISRAEL: Israeli police in riot gear removed more than 450 pro-settlement activists who had flocked to an abandoned Jewish settlement in the West Bank yesterday, a police spokesman said. p

Finance

Cancer drug production to create 150 jobs
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is expected to unveil plans today to begin production of a new anti-cancer drug at its Cork plant which will create 150 jobs. p
Consumers warned on credit card debt risks
Consumers were urged yesterday to avoid racking up long-term debts on their credit cards. The financial regulator made the call as it published research showing that half of consumers do not know the interest rate on their credit card. Laura Slattery reports. p
Tax revenues looking less buoyant
Yesterday's GDP forecast may cause some alarm bells to ring, writes Marc Coleman , Economics Editor p

Sport

Dublin slip-up when least expected
GAELIC GAMES/NHL, Antrim 1013 Dublin 0-12: The first thing the Dublin hurlers did on their arrival at Casement Park yesterday evening was check the pitch for banana skins. They then started into a vigorous warm-up, neither of which could prevent them from slipping up on their way to making the play-offs of the Allianz Hurling League, writes Ian O'Riordan at Casement Park p
Passion and belief reappear
SOCCER Euro 2008 Qualifying Group D/ Rep of Ireland 1Slovakia 0: Ah, this Irish team and records.After an autumn spent matching or bettering them for defeats both at home and abroad, last night at Croke Park they wrapped up their brief spring campaign by matching another with their fourth successive victory in a qualifying game, writes Emmet Malone at Croke Park p

Features

A passion for perfection
Bach's powerful, intimate work, St John Passion, is often wrongly deemed inferior to St Matthew Passion, argues Eileen Battersby p

Science Today

Research priority for new SFI head
The new head of Science Foundation Ireland, Dr Frank Gannon, outlines his special intentions to Dick Ahlstrom p