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Gardaí at the scene after a light aircraft crashed onto the Kilcullen/Athy Road in Co Kildare yesterday. The pilot escaped injury after he was forced to crash land during take-off at Kilrush airstrip. As a result the N78 was closed to traffic and diversions were put in place.

Photograph: Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland.

'Salt of the earth' Cork family scoops €16m Lotto jackpot
A mother of five who won Ireland's biggest ever Lotto jackpot of €16 million was yesterday described by neighbours as being a "salt of the earth" type who had dedicated her life to bringing up her children, writes Olivia Kelleher.

British army role in North ends after 38 years
The British army ends its 38-year role in support of the police in Northern Ireland tomorrow, the longest military operation in its history, writes Dan Keenan , Northern News Editor.
Lenihan highlights issues in integration
The Minister of State with responsibility for integration, Conor Lenihan, has expressed concern that some Dublin suburbs are becoming too concentrated with foreign nationals and that new steps are needed to create more sustainable communities, writes Carl O'Brien , Social Affairs Correspondent.

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Ireland

Inquiry after man killed by off-duty garda's car
The Garda Ombudsman is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a man who was struck by a car in Co Galway in the early hours of yesterday. p
Couples will be free to marry at venues of choice
Couples will be able to get married at venues of their choice, such as hotels, public buildings or country houses, under new laws due to come into force later this year. p
Ictu urges Taoiseach to increase mortgage relief
The general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has written to the Taoiseach seeking significant increases in mortgage interest relief to offset the recent rise in inflation. p
Leaving Cert timetable set for shake-up
More than 50,000 Leaving Cert students appear set to sit their first exam paper in English on a Saturday morning next May. p
Ireland's first in-utero surgery a great success
The first operation in Ireland to be performed on babies while they were still in the womb has been reported by the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. p
25,000 in Croagh Patrick climb
If proof was needed that God is a Mayo man it was provided definitively yesterday as the sun shone shamelessly all day on Croagh Patrick and as though no explanation was required for an absence filled by rain for the 50 days (and 50 nights) since June 8th last. p
Restaurant receives warning for sending unsolicited texts
The Data Protection Commissioner has issued its first warning to a restaurant for sending unsolicited mobile phone text messages to customers. p
Witness intimidation hampers crime detection
One of Dublin's most experienced Garda detectives has said the fight against organised crime is being seriously hampered by witness intimidation and that many crime black spots are under-policed. p
Trawler finds €85,000 worth of cannabis by accident
Some €85,000 worth of cannabis was trawled up off the seabed west of the Aran islands in a joint operation involving the Naval Service, Customs and a Donegal fishing vessel over the weekend. p
Inspectors concerned over safety of children at centre
Social services inspectors have expressed concern over the safety and welfare of children at a crisis intervention service in Galway for homeless young people. p

Finance

O2 restricts upgrade of mobiles
Independent phone retailers have complained of difficulties securing pre-paid mobile phones from O2 for customers who wish to upgrade their handsets. p
Tech firms get backing for US trip
Enterprise Ireland is backing a trip by a group of Irish high-tech start-ups to Silicon Valley that aims to take advantage of Aer Lingus's planned direct route between Dublin and San Francisco. p
Compensation still a long way off for investors in Parmalat
Will those private investors who lost €7 billion of savings in the December 2003 collapse of Parma-based food products company Parmalat recover anything close to their original investment? p

World

US denies report that Maliki wanted Petraeus removed
Iraq: The US military yesterday dismissed reports that the top US general in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, had a stormy relationship with Iraq's prime minister, but said the pair had "very frank talks". p
Japan's PM refuses to quit after crushing poll defeat
Japan: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe insisted he would stay in his job yesterday despite suffering a crushing political reverse after just 10 scandal-tainted months in office. p
Bush and Brown will try to shift focus off Iraq
United States: British prime minister Gordon Brown flew into Washington last night for his first meeting as prime minister with President Bush, determined to shift the focus away from Iraq towards less divisive issues such as trade and Darfur. p

Sport

Epic draws best from gladiators
GAELIC GAMES: Top of a blank page and Cork and Waterford were level. Half-time and nothing separated them. This dream of a game expired and when the bottom line was filled in they were still tied. We walked out into the evening sunlight thanking the blue skies for days like this and the possibilities of a replay which offers so many fresh narratives. p
Dublin avoid old rivals after drawing Derry
GAELIC GAMES: Leinster champions Dublin will play Derry, the surprise packages of this season's qualifiers, in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park on Saturday, August 11th. The winners progress to the semi-final against the winners of Kerry and Monaghan, who meet the following day, also in Croke Park. p
Keane enters the race to sign O'Donovan
SOCCER: Not a man commonly associated with swift about-turns, Roy Keane staged what was a welcome one from Roy O'Donovan's perspective yesterday when he revealed he was bidding to sign the under-21 international from Cork City. p