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A Little Egret taking off at Booterstown Marsh, Co Dublin. Egrets have moved to northern Europe in recent years as a consequence of climate change.

Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Delays and overruns in State online projects highlighted
A major report by the State's spending watchdog on the Government's ambitious "e-Government" project has revealed that only half of the projects were fully operational six months after the deadline had been reached.
Polls predict Obama win, good showing for McCain
New Hampshire holds the first presidential primaries of 2008 today with polls predicting a huge victory for Barack Obama in the Democratic race and a remarkable comeback for John McCain on the Republican side.
No pay rise likely for most public servants
The second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body will recommend increases for a limited number of specialist grades but there will be no rise in pay for most public service employees, according to informed sources.

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Ireland

Call for stricter enforcement of drink-drive laws
Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne has said he would opt for more enforcement of existing drink-driving regulations, over a move to reduce further the current blood/alcohol limit for drivers. p
Boy (6) collapses at desk and dies
A postmortem is due to be carried out today on a six-year-old boy who died yesterday morning during class at a school in Armagh city. p
Owners of Bray care home fined over missing woman case
The owners of a Bray, Co Wicklow, nursing home were yesterday fined €2,000 by Bray District Court after an elderly resident went missing two years ago and is now presumed dead. p
Missing backpacker's body found
The body of an Irish backpacker who had been missing in a national park in Chile since November has been recovered. His family expressed relief yesterday that they can finally bring his remains home. p
Gardaí await test results to determine cause of mystery death
Gardaí are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to determine the cause of death of a 20-year-old man in Co Donegal at the weekend. p
Judge adjourns murder trial over DNA doubts
A murder trial in Derry had to be adjourned yesterday because of comments made by Mr Justice Weir at the High Court in Belfast last month when he acquitted Co Armagh electrician Seán Hoey of the August 1998 murders of 29 people in the Omagh bomb atrocity. p
Troubles legacy group will ask all to 'confess'
When Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, the two men charged with finding a consensus on how to address the legacy of the Troubles, issue their findings next summer, sources say they may shock a swathe of the Northern Ireland public. p
Tribunal given Ahern tax files after row
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's tax papers were given to the Mahon tribunal last February after a major battle with the tribunal's lawyers who insisted they had the right to the documentation. p

World

Standoff over Naples rubbish disposal ends peacefully after police withdraw from landfill
ITALY: A tense standoff between Italian police and locals in Naples who were blocking access to a garbage dump ended peacefully yesterday when the government said it would announce a "radical" solution to a waste emergency. p
EU leader says he will stay out of Irish treaty poll
EU: Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansá has said he will not try to tell Irish people how to vote on the Treaty of Lisbon during his country's presidency of the EU. p
Kenya refugees still afraid to go home
KENYA: It's calmer, but the ethnic cleansing is continuing, writes Rob Crilly , in Kericho, Rift Valley p
Former Liberian leader on trial for war crimes
LIBERIA: The trial of the first African leader to be prosecuted for international war crimes finally got under way yesterday when Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president, entered the dock at a special tribunal in The Hague after months of wrangling and boycotts. p
US and Iranian vessels in skirmish
US: Tensions between the US and Iran resurfaced yesterday when Pentagon officials alleged that Iranian warships had threatened three US navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. p

Finance

Number of failures will increase, Appleby warns
Company directors who find their businesses facing possible insolvency have been warned by the Director of Corporate Enforcement to act responsibly. p
Investors may face 11% loss on UK properties
Irish investors in the British commercial property market could see 11 per cent wiped off the value of their holdings this year, according to some estimates. p
Lynn properties put up for sale
A number of Dublin properties owned by solicitor Michael Lynn and one of his companies have been put up for sale in an effort to repay his debts to two banks. p

Sport

Chelsea close in on Anelka
SOCCER: Bolton Wanderers have rejected Chelsea's opening £11 million (€15m) offer for their unsettled striker Nicolas Anelka, but both clubs privately expect a compromise to be reached which would see the France international secure his long-mooted transfer to Stamford Bridge. p
Cork will decide on Limerick IT game today
GAA: A decision on the Cork hurling match against Limerick IT - rescheduled for this Thursday to enable officials and players to try and reach an agreement over the current strike action - will be announced today, but none of the 2007 panel will be available. p