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Democratic presidential candidate US senator Barack Obama speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Friendly House gymnasium in Davenport, Iowa.

Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

Iowa votes tonight in first test of presidential hopefuls
After a year of intense campaigning, Iowa votes tonight in the first contests to choose the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, with polls showing both races too close to call, writes Denis Staunton in Des Moines, Iowa
British police to help in Bhutto investigation
British police are to assist in the investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf said in a televised address last night, writes Mary Fitzgerald in Karachi
Drivers fail to get message as phone penalty points mount
Motorists seem unable to stay off their mobile phones even when faced with heavy fines and penalty points, new Department of Transport statistics show.

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Finance

Oil soars to $100 a barrel after weak US report
Crude oil reached $100 a barrel and gold soared to a record high yesterday, leading a surge in commodities as the dollar's slump against major currencies enhanced the appeal of raw materials as hedges against inflation. p
Sterling at lowest level ever against euro
Sterling fell to its lowest ever level against the euro in trading on foreign exchanges yesterday. The UK currency closed at £0.7443 against the euro and has now declined by more than 10 per cent against the European currency in the past six months. p
Second-hand houses fall by 7%
Second-hand house prices dropped by almost 7 per cent in 2007, according to one of the Republic's biggest estate agents. p
Ratings downgrade reflects payment default by ISTC
Ratings agency DBRS has downgraded the €3 billion debt issued by International Securities Trading Corporation (ISTC) to a level that indicates the insolvent specialist lender has defaulted on its interest payments. p

Ireland

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre warns of increase in rape by strangers
Rape by strangers is on the increase, the chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre warned yesterday. p
Inquiries to follow security breach at Portlaoise
Two investigations are under way to establish the circumstances surrounding an incident at the State's only high-security prison during which a member of the public gained access to an unauthorised area of the facility. p
End of an era as Burlington closes
Checking out of a hotel was never such a momentous occasion. At 12.30pm, the lift doors at the Burlington Hotel opened and the unsuspecting guests from room 537 stepped into an explosion of photographers' flashbulbs. p
City council to unveil strategy for high-rise buildings
Dublin's planners believe the capital's future depends on a high density strategy, writes Olivia Kelly p
System for public to complain about press instituted
A new and independent system that will allow members of the public to complain about newspaper or magazine articles was instituted yesterday with the establishment of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman. p
Safe for crown jewels returned
One of the most intriguing melodramas in Irish policing history has been given something of an epilogue with the return to Dublin Castle of the safe that contained the Irish crown jewels until their theft in 1907. p
Drugs campaign 'seen to have fallen short'
Health authorities said yesterday they have learned from mistakes detailed in a highly critical major report into the effectiveness of a drugs awareness campaign which was funded by the taxpayer. p
Clinton, Blair to mark peace deal anniversary
Former US president Bill Clinton and former British prime minister Tony Blair may participate in major commemorations planned to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. p
Woman rescued from burning flat in Down dies in hospital
A woman has died in a fire at a flat in Downpatrick, Co Down. p

World

Ability of forests to soak up carbon weakening
GLOBAL WARMING: The ability of forests to soak up man-made carbon dioxide is weakening, according to an analysis of two decades of data from more than 30 sites in the frozen north. p
Kenyan rival offers to serve in government
KENYA: Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga last night offered to serve in an interim government with President Mwai Kibaki on the understanding that there would be a rerun of the disputed elections that have so far led to more than 300 deaths. p
Prodi gets revved up by Zapatero's comments
ITALY: Crisis? What crisis? Italian prime minister Romano Prodi took a major swipe at his critics yesterday when, in the context of an open letter to news agency ANSA, he suggested that the Italian economy remained highly competitive and that contrary to widespread pre-Christmas reports, Italy had not been overtaken by Spain. p
Musharraf blames militant for Bhutto murder
PAKISTAN: The man named by Pakistani officials as the mastermind behind Benazir Bhutto's assassination is rarely photographed or filmed. p

Sport

Bramble bursts Benitez bubble
English Premier League/ Liverpool 1 Wigan Athletic 1 : Anfield could not disguise its mirth when the Wigan hordes sang "There's only one Titus Bramble" last night. The laughter ended when the centre-half whose name has become a byword for defensive calamity left Liverpool as cold as the Siberian air blowing across Merseyside. p
Cork hurlers may miss out on cup
News : The Cork hurlers' participation in the Waterford Crystal Cup is in serious jeopardy as long as the players' strike continues. p
Air Force One flies high at last
Folkestone Report : Air Force One gave the first indication of his undoubted potential as a novice chaser with a bloodless victory at Folkestone yesterday. p