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

Awatif Ahmed Salih (16) was kept for three days by government soldiers and raped by an officer following their attack on the Jebel Mara town of Deribat.

Photograph: Rob Crilly

Irish woman caught up in Warsaw abortion raid
An Irish woman was caught up in a police raid on the house of a Warsaw doctor on Wednesday as he performed an abortion on her, writes Derek Scally in Berlin.

Leading bank says growth will drop to 3%
Growth in the Irish economy will be much lower than expected this year as it reacts to higher interest rates, a leading international bank has predicted. Marc Coleman , Economics Editor, reports.
Story of war crimes against women in Darfur revealed
In a miserable conflict of untold suffering and humiliation, the story spilling from Awatif Ahmed Salih's mouth marks a new nadir by even Darfur's warped standards.

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Ireland

Deadline missed for cutting waiting times in A&E units
Targets set by a taskforce for improving conditions for patients in A&E units across the State have already been missed. p
Greens and FF exchange policy documents
Fianna Fáil has sent a nine-page analysis setting out areas of common interest to the Green Party in an exchange of documents that took place between the two parties yesterday, The Irish Times has learned. Deaglán de Bréadún , Political Correspondent, reports. p
Paisley jnr stands by his remarks on homosexuality
Northern Executive junior minister Ian Paisley jnr has stood by his recent remarks on homosexuals and complained that the criticism of his comments illustrates an intolerance about his right to the freedom of expression, writes Gerry Moriarty , Northern Editor p
Armed gang robs security van of €200,000
Gardaí in Co Wexford are investigating an armed robbery after the crew of a security van were held up by three raiders while delivering money to an ATM machine yesterday morning. p
Nobel laureate Williams accuses Taoiseach of deaths in Iraq
Northern Irish Nobel laureate Betty Williams has accused the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, of "murdering people in Iraq" by refusing to end the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. p
Bupa will have to pay €11m to VHI, says report
Health insurer Bupa Ireland (now owned by the Quinn Group) faces having to pay about €11 million to rival VHI in controversial risk-equalisation payments for the six months to last December, according to an internal report drawn up by the industry regulator for the Government. Martin Wall , Industry Correspondent, reports. p
Women to reclaim streets for marathon
The southeast of Dublin city will be a no-go area for motorists on Monday as more than 40,000 women runners take to the streets for the 25th Women's Mini Marathon. p
Freedom of Cork city to be conferred on Flatley
The freedom of Cork city will be conferred on entertainer Michael Flatley at a special ceremony in City Hall at 3pm today. p
Shelbourne introduces 'genealogy butler'
The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin has launched an innovative new service for guests hoping to reconnect with their Irish roots - a genealogy butler. p

World

Dutch kidney donor TV show 'a hoax'
NETHERLANDS: A Dutch reality television show, in which a supposedly dying woman had to decide to donate a kidney to one of three contestants, was a hoax, the programme makers said yesterday. p
Cool reception for Bush's global warming plan
GERMANY: President George W Bush's plan to combat climate change got a cool reception in Europe where the European Union's environment chief dismissed it as unambitious and the "classic" US line. p
Kidnapped journalist appears well in video
MIDDLE EAST: Alan Johnston, the kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent, appeared in a video released by his captors yesterday, nearly 12 weeks after he was seized, in which he says he is healthy and being well treated. p
'Dr Death' released from prison after eight years
US: Jack Kevorkian, the pathologist known as "Dr Death" because of his claim to have participated in more than 100 assisted suicides, walked free yesterday after eight years in prison for second-degree murder. p

Finance

Dell plan may put 1,000 Irish jobs at risk
As many as 1,000 jobs at Dell's Irish operations could be at risk as the company looks to cut rapidly rising costs. John Collins reports. p
Cork meat plant to shed 70 jobs
Breeo Foods, the consumer foods division of Dairygold's Reox Holdings, yesterday announced plans for the closure of its meat manufacturing plant in Mitchelstown, Co Cork with the loss of 70 jobs. p
Takeover panel sets deadline for ICG buyout bid
The Irish Takeover Panel has told the One51 Capital/Doyle Group consortium that it must make a bid for Irish Continental Group (ICG) by June 13th or withdraw its proposed offer. Ciarán Hancock , Business Affairs Correspondent, reports. p

Sport

Ireland face a second shut-out
RUGBY: The ill feeling is simmering below the surface and relations between Argentina and Ireland worsened yesterday when Ireland were denied access to today's venue for the second Test, the Jose Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires, at less than 24 hours notice. p
Wales could give us a dig-out
SOCCER: The two wins at Croke Park back in March have been enough to sustain the Republic of Ireland's remote hopes of qualification for next summer's European Championships, but Steve Staunton and his players must now look to others for that most Irish of gestures - a dig-out - if what currently looks to be a pipedream is to be reclassified as a more serious prospect over the next few days. p
Beckham does what he does best
International friendly/England 1 Brazil 1: The past locked arms with the present as the previous captain, David Beckham, flighted the free-kick with which his successor, John Terry, put them in front, but all the bonds that England forged could not shut out Brazil. At the rebuilt Wembley, the visitors equalised in stoppage time as the substitute Diego headed in from Gilberto Silva's chipped cross. p