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South African Duncan Scott catching a wave that was estimated to tower eight times his height off Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, on Saturday morning.

Photograph: Mickey Smith

Pro-Putin party on course for sweeping poll victory
The pro-Putin United Russia party was last night heading for a sweeping victory in Russian parliamentary elections that opposition parties said were marred by mass violations of election rules and pressure on voters.
Ahern denies casino scheme had his 'implicit approval'
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has dismissed claims that he gave implicit approval to the National Lottery to enter talks with Manchester businessman Norman Turner about becoming involved in his plans for a casino in Dublin.
Over 190 countries to seek deal to tackle climate change
High-level representatives of more than 190 countries will begin gathering for a UN summit on the Indonesian island of Bali today in an effort to reach agreement on how to broker a worldwide deal aimed at tackling climate change.

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World

Renewed pressure on Brown over funds
Britain: British prime minister Gordon Brown again found his integrity questioned yesterday, while the man at the centre of Labour's concealed funding scandal claimed 10 party officials were aware of his practice of making donations by proxy. p
Venezuela votes on extending Chavez's reign
Venezuela: Venezuela voted yesterday in a referendum on extending President Hugo Chavez's powers after a bruising campaign of insults and clashes that left the outcome hanging in the balance. p
Poll has Obama in Iowa lead
United States: A new poll puts Barack Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton in Iowa, which holds the first presidential caucus on January 3rd, with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee leaping ahead of his Republican rivals in the state. p
EU treaty necessary to pull Europe out of rut, says Moscovici
EU: A self-described 'militant for a political Europe ', socialist Pierre Moscovici talks to Lara Marlowe . p

Ireland

Nursing home care Bill to be rushed through
The Government is planning to rush through controversial legislation on financing nursing home care before Christmas. p
HSE cutbacks triggered by €350m shortfall
The HSE privately told the Department of Finance earlier this year that its financial difficulties, which led to cutbacks in recent months, were due in part to a shortfall of nearly €350 million in funding. p
Private art worth €1.5m up for auction
A private art collection worth in excess of €1.5 million and containing works by Jack B Yeats and Louis Le Brocquy will be put up for auction tomorrow and next week. p
Man told to flatten garden cabin
A Dublin man claims South Dublin County Council is trying to make him homeless by insisting he demolishes a log cabin in his back garden in which he is currently living. p
Gore says Ireland must lead on climate change
Ireland has a key role to play in advancing the environmental agenda, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore told a conference in Dublin at the weekend. p

Finance

Ikea to promote Belfast store with TV adverts in Republic
Ikea will begin a television advertising campaign in the Republic from today in advance of the opening of its Belfast store on Friday week. p
Paddy's Valley mission not impossible
Executives from 15 Irish technology companies travelled to California's Silicon Valley at the weekend for an informal networking mission they have dubbed Paddy's Valley. p
Taxpayers have little hope of a reduction in burden
The 2008 Budget will have failed the Government's own test if it does not achieve equity, writes Paul Tansey . Reduced tax revenues and a sluggish economy have narrowed Cowen's options p

Features

Land of subsidy where cuts are rare
The Arts: The German state's commitment to arts funding is envied by practitioners in other countries - though the level of subsidy has an increasing number of critics, writes Derek Scally in Berlin. p
Visual feasts and grisly ingredients a recipe for success
The Arts: The sight of chocolate sauce gurgling down the plughole in the shower scene from Psycho piqued Feargus O'Sullivan's appetite for foodie film scenes. p

Opinion

What some women think of men
This time of year it can be risky for a man to pick up a newspaper, there being a good chance that therein he will find himself defamed. p

Sport

Liverpool pitch perfect
Liverpool 4 Bolton Wanderers 0 If a football club lived by statistics alone Liverpool would be in perfect health. Here was a fifth consecutive win in all competitions with 21 goals scored over the course of them. p
Domenech complains of seeding 'madness'
The European Championship is a brief tournament and next summer's event will be furious as well as fast. Yesterday's draw introduced the anger early by pitting the World Cup holders, Italy, against the losing finalists, France, and giving them Holland for company. The remaining side in Group C, Romania, must feel fatalistic. p
FAI wave another beaten docket at us
LockerRoom: It's a lonely old business this waiting for the great leap forward. Poor old Stan was ushered off the stage after all the plates he tried to keep spinning crashed to the floor and he went all redfaced and had to concede he hadn't actually known that much about spinning plates in the first place. p