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The Most Rev Dr Ndingi Mwana 'A Nzeki (right), Archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya, unveils a commemorative plaque to Edel Quinn, a former Legion of Mary missionary in east Africa, in Seapoint, Co Dublin, yesterday.

Photograph: Eric Luke

New plan tabled to deal with problem teachers
Underperforming teachers could be penalised or dismissed largely on the word of their own school principal under controversial new proposals tabled by the Department of Education.
IDA confident despite loss of Amgen plant
IDA Ireland last night said it remained confident of securing future biotechnology investments, despite the loss of a landmark project yesterday.
Ryanair founder Dr Tony Ryan dies from cancer
Entrepreneur and Ryanair founder Dr Tony Ryan died yesterday at his home in Co Kildare after an 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Dr Ryan (71) passed away at 3pm at Lyons Demesne in Celbridge.

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World

Ahern seeks special deal for illegal Irish in US
US: The Government is seeking a new, reciprocal immigration deal with the United States that could link an amnesty for undocumented Irish immigrants now in the US to the consolidation of the political settlement in the North. p
Burmese monks try to flee military round-up
BURMA: Scores of Burmese monks were stranded at Rangoon's railway station yesterday while trying to flee the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests that has left thousands languishing in prison. p
Clinton now top fundraiser as majority of Democrats back her
US: Hillary Clinton has strengthened her position as the Democratic frontrunner in next year's presidential election, opening up a 33-point lead over Barack Obama in a new opinion poll and raising more money than any other Democrat during the past three months. The Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Mrs Clinton winning the support of a majority of Democrats for the first time since the campaign began, emerging as the favourite candidate of those who want change as well as those who value experience. p
10,000 migrating wildebeest drown in freak accident
KENYA: Thousands of wildebeest have drowned in a bizarre accident during their annual migration across Africa p

Ireland

Gardaí to review 200 unsolved killings
Gardaí are to review 200 unsolved killings as part of a new crime investigation plan to be unveiled today by Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy. p
Consumers 'pay too much for dental services'
Consumers are paying too much for dental services because competition is restricted and discouraged by an outdated system of regulation, according to a new report on the profession from the Competition Authority. p
Sex offender's extradition sought
The High Court has adjourned until October 17th an application for the extradition of a fugitive UK sex offender who has been living in Co Kildare for the past seven years. p
Parties urge Gormley to scrap e-voting
Opposition parties have called on the Government to scrap plans for electronic voting after a Dutch judge ruled that the use of the machines in recent elections in the Netherlands had not been properly authorised. p
Driver dies when his schoolbus collides with van in Roscommon
A schoolbus driver who was a cousin of President Mary McAleese died in a collision in Co Roscommon yesterday. p
Last survivor of War of Independence dies at 105
The death has taken place of 105-year-old veteran republican Dan Keating, the last survivor of the War of Independence. p
Call to prioritise chronic pain treatment
Some 50 per cent of the economic cost associated with chronic pain could be avoided if the problem
was prioritised by the health service, a world expert on persistent pain has said. p
Siptu wants law to protect shop stewards
The country's largest trade union, Siptu, has called for legislation to protect shop stewards from victimisation. p
Major traffic diversions on M50
A new phase of traffic diversion, including the closure of a three-lane off-ramp at the Red Cow roundabout on Dublin's M50, is to be announced by South Dublin County Council today. p

Finance

Dodds alters stance over IDA/NI body merger
The North's Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Nigel Dodds, yesterday issued differing responses to a proposal from Ulster Bank Group chairman Alan Gillespie that the IDA should merge with its Northern equivalent, Invest NI. p
Rohan raises €53m in property sales
Property developer Ken Rohan received dividends of €1.9 million from his main company last year after it sold properties worth €53.4 million, according to company accounts just filed. p
Study highlights longer mortgages
Four out of every 10 first-time house buyers are taking out mortgages of between 35 and 39 years, according to new figures on the first-time buyers' market from the Irish Banking Federation (IBF). p
Plant hire manager buys out relatives
Businessman William O'Brien jnr has bought his relatives out of their family-owned plant hire business in a deal valued at €7.5 million. p

Sport

Celtic rain on Milan's parade
SOCCER/Celtic 2 AC Milan 1: A tetchy encounter, which gave Celtic their first three points of the Group D campaign and maintained a remarkable home record in Europe, ended in inauspicious circumstances last night and may lead to serious repercussions for the hosts. p
Chelsea rediscover misplaced excellence
SOCCER/Valencia 1 Chelsea 2: Chelsea relived their recent past and so started to set course for a new era. Victory came here as it had by the same score on this ground in the Champions League six months ago, but it was accomplished without the departed Jose Mourinho. p
Ashton goes for brute force
RUGBY/World Cup/England v Australia: One of Australia's most experienced coaches believes England will be "smashed" by 30 points in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final. The evidence of the 36-0 pool defeat by South Africa has convinced Alec Evans, the former Wales coach now employed as a Wallaby skills guru, that England are one-dimensional has-beens. But Brian Ashton could not be accused of naming a bunch of lightweights in his starting XV yesterday. p