The Irish Times, Irish News Online, International, Sports & Business News

BREAKING NEWS: Bertie Ahern is to step down as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil on May 6th. Mr Ahern made the announcement at a hastily arranged press conference at Government Buildings (pictured above) this morning.

Photograph: Bryan O'Brien

Tribunal not to query Ahern on statements made in Dáil
THE MAHON tribunal made significant concessions to the Taoiseach on the first day of his High Court challenge to its inquiries yesterday, but Mr Ahern will be under renewed political pressure in the Dáil today as the Opposition parties seek an explanation for the sterling payments lodged to his building society account by Gráinne Carruth, write STEPHEN COLLINS , MARY CAROLAN AND STEVEN CARROLL.
Mugabe likely to face run-off with Tsvangirai for presidency
PRESIDENT ROBERT Mugabe and Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, last night appeared increasingly likely to be facing a run-off contest for the presidency despite rumours Mr Mugabe was preparing to step down, writes BILL CORCORAN in Johannesburg.
Under-par economy holds up play at first Harrington course
A PLANNED €100 million-plus development at The Marlbrook in Clonmel, Co Tipperary - which had as its centrepiece a course designed by Padraig Harrington - is set to be put on hold because of the deteriorating economic climate, writes PHILIP REID , Golf Correspondent.

In Focus

Head2Head
Do we need more detailed food labelling?
Business poll
Will Hibernian pay a price for offshoring some of its customer service operations?
Education
Full education coverage

Ireland

Half of patients reviewed had inappropriate care
AN INDEPENDENT review of care provided to breast cancer patients at Barringtons' private hospital in Limerick has found evidence of inappropriate clinical care being given to more than half of the women whose records were reviewed. p
30,000 health staff to vote on industrial action
NEARLY 30,000 health sector staff are to ballot on industrial action in protest at employment recruitment restrictions put in place by the Health Service Executive (HSE). p
Taxi driver who helped stop hangings loses claim for damages
A TAXI driver has lost his claim for damages after an extraordinary drama in a dole office in Dublin when he was confronted by a man threatening to hang himself and his son with a chain. p
Forget about the big one: small asteroid could inflict great damage
SOME ASTRONOMERS worry about "the big one", a civilisation-destroying impact between the earth and a kilometre-wide asteroid. However being hit by a "little one" would still be devastating, an astronomer has warned. p
Tourism fears over new water alert in Galway
FEARS ARE growing that tourism in the west will again suffer this year following confirmation of a new water problem in Co Galway. p
April Fools' speed trap has serious message for rogue drivers
THOUSANDS OF motorists on a major west of Ireland road were yesterday duped by an April Fools' joke with a serious message - a life-size cardboard cut-out of a Garda car with a speed gun poking from its window. p
Thousands pay respects to Hanrahans
THOUSANDS OF people attended Lyons funeral home on the main Tarbert to Listowel road yesterday to pay their respects to Michael Hanrahan (60) and his son Denis (27). p
HSE to advertise for 100 new consultants
HEALTH SERVICE management is to advertise for around 100 new hospital consultants on revised terms and conditions in the weeks ahead, it has emerged. p
Plan to take 17 new Bills in summer Dáil session
THE GOVERNMENT has announced that 17 new Bills will be taken in the Dáil summer session which starts today. However, the list was dismissed as an April Fools' joke by the Labour Party, which said that seven items of the Bills listed for publication were also on the list for the last session. p

Finance

Investment by US firms to create 270 jobs in Waterford
MINISTER FOR Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has announced the creation of 270 new jobs at two US companies in Co Waterford. p
Markets rally despite 'bad bank' news from UBS
GLOBAL STOCK markets rallied sharply yesterday amid hopes that the credit crisis had reached its nadir after Switzerland's UBS disclosed further writedowns and initiatives to raise fresh capital. p
Politicians warn of closing 96 North post offices
COMMUNITIES ACROSS the North will be adversely affected by a decision to close almost 100 post offices in Northern Ireland, politicians have warned. p
Manufacturing sector contracts again - index
THE MANUFACTURING sector contracted again last month, with activity in Irish factories dropping as a result of a sharp fall in new orders and the fastest clearing of backlogs in more than five years, new figures show. p

World

US presses for Ukraine to join Nato ahead of summit
font-weight: bold; US: US PRESIDENT George Bush has pledged to do everything possible to secure a Nato invitation for Ukraine and Georgia and insisted that Russian anger will not be enough to stymie their membership bids at the alliance summit today in Romania, writes font-weight: bold; Daniel McLaughlin . p
Sarkozy's Afghan troop plan criticised in assembly debate
font-weight: bold; FRANCE: FRENCH DEPUTIES felt so aggrieved that president Nicolas Sarkozy announced the reinforcement of French troops in Afghanistan in Westminster last week that they demanded to hold their own debate in the national assembly yesterday, writes font-weight: bold; Lara Marlowe in Paris. p
EU court ruling boosts pension rights of same-sex couples
font-weight: bold; EU: EUROPE'S HIGHEST court has ruled that gay partners are entitled to survivor's pensions in EU states where homosexual couples have partnership rights similar to marriage, writes font-weight: bold; Jamie Smyth , European Correspondent. p

Sport

United do as Romans are done
SOCCER/AS Roma 0 Manchester Utd 2: ONE SUSPECTS that old journalistic cliché, much loved in the Anglo-Saxon world, namely "The Italian Job" will be doing the rounds of English newspapers this morning. In beating AS Roma at the Olympic Stadium here last night, the English Premier League leaders gave a mightily impressive display of dominant self-belief, worthy of the best Italian teams. p
Kidney faces tough calls with squad in rude health
RUGBY: DECLAN KIDNEY yesterday went through the ritual of effectively naming every fit and plausible contender bar the team's chef for Munster's latest Heineken European Cup epic in waiting, away to Gloucester in Saturday's quarter-final. p
Wenger admits this is 'moment of truth'
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG/Arsenal v Liverpool: ARSENE WENGER confronted the first of four games which could define Arsenal's season last night by admitting that the next 12 days represented the greatest challenge of his managerial career to date, his side's campaign having reached "the moment of truth". p