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Taoiseach Bertie Ahern addressing the press conference at Government Buildings yesterday at which he announced he would step down as Taoiseach on May 6th. The party is expected to choose a new leader next week, with Tánaiste Brian Cowen the strong favourite to succeed Mr Ahern.

Photograph: Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Taoiseach calls time and announces May 6th departure
FIANNA FÁIL is expected to elect a new leader next week following yesterday's announcement by the Taoiseach that he intends to step down on May 6th. The overwhelming favourite to succeed him is the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, who may even be elected unopposed, writes STEPHEN COLLINS, Political Editor.
Tax take falls €600m short of projections
TAX RECEIPTS were €600 million or 5.1 per cent below Budget projections in the first three months of this year, according to exchequer returns for the first quarter published yesterday by the Department of Finance, writes PAUL TANSEY , Economics Editor.
'Chance missed' to correct CUH lab mistake
AN INVESTIGATION into the misdiagnosis of breast cancer patient Rebecca O'Malley has found that an error made at the laboratory of Cork University Hospital where her biopsy was misread in 2005 might have been picked up at her local hospital in Limerick had proper procedures been in place there, writes EITHNE DONNELLAN , Health Correspondent.

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Ireland

Cabinet colleagues, apart from Cowen, kept in the dark until the last minute
SUCCESSION: Attention has switched swiftly to succession, with indications that Bertie Ahern's replacement will be determined in a matter of days. p
Minister claims Irish tax, defence interests are secure
THE GOVERNMENT'S White Paper on the Lisbon Treaty provides an outline of the content of the treaty and details how it was negotiated, including the broad position taken by the Government during the negotiations. p
McCabe one of final eight contenders for literary award
International Impac Dublin Literary Award: shortlist announced Few could have predicted the diverse selection for the prize shortlist p
Kennys fail in attempt to have land dispute case dismissed
THE APPLICATION by RTÉ broadcaster Pat Kenny to have the High Court dismiss claims by his neighbour in their legal dispute over the ownership of land adjoining their homes has been rejected in the High Court. p
Study finds gaming addicts exhibit traits of Aspergers
A NEW study has found that computer game addicts exhibit some of the same personality traits as people diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. p
Top chef Richard Corriganto open restaurant in Dublin
LONDON-BASED celebrity chef Richard Corrigan is to open a restaurant in Dublin this year having acquired Browne's Brasserie and Hotel on St Stephen's Green. p
Kenny told June 12th is likely date for referendum
TAOISEACH BERTIE AHERN has indicated that the Lisbon Treaty referendum will be held on June 12th. p
Group set up to protect nesting little tern seabirds on Louth coast
A NEW conservation group has been formed in Co Louth and its first major project begins this month. It aims to protect nesting little terns, which are Ireland's rarest breeding seabirds. p
Youth (14) in bulletproof jacket held
A 14-YEAR-OLD youth, who had been stopped earlier while wearing a bulletproof vest, was being questioned by gardaí in Limerick last night following a second recent shooting in the St Mary's Park area of the city. p

Sport

Bree tests positive for drug used in inhaler
DRUGS IN SPORT/SWIMMING: THE PARTICIPATION of Andrew Bree at this year's Olympic Games, at this stage Ireland's only swimming qualifier, is in doubt following a positive finding from a drugs test conducted last year. p
Liverpool draw on defensive strengths
SOCCER/Champions League quarter-finals, first leg/Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1: THERE WAS more madness than method and this was not the type of deadlock anticipated in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. Results show English clubs to be dominating this competition, but such mastery would not have been guessed at in an eccentric match. p
Guide dogs shown several shades of Keane
MARY HANNIGAN finds the Sunderland manager in fine form and eloquent as ever on a variety of topics, from sports to politics p

Finance

Developer sued over €74m deal by Irish Life
A COMPANY owned by a leading property development group is being sued over its failure to complete the €74.5 million purchase of development land in south Dublin. Simon Carswell and Mary Carolan report. p
Immediate action on rising costs urged in report
A NEW report on the manufacturing sector has urged the Government to take immediate action to address rising costs. p
Cassells urges Cork airport to shoulder debt of €113m
FORMER TRADE union leader Peter Cassells has recommended to the Government that Cork airport should assume responsibility from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) for a €113 million loan on separation. p
Bernanke admits 'recession possible' in US
THE US economy will not grow much, if at all, during the first half of this year and "could even contract slightly", Ben Bernanke said yesterday, admitting for the first time that a "recession is possible". p

World

Obama hints he may make Al Gore his vice-president
US: BARACK OBAMA would consider appointing former vice-president Al Gore to a cabinet-level position or even vice-president, he told a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania yesterday. Denis Staunton reports from Washington. p
US wants more Nato troops for Afghanistan
ROMANIA: THE UNITED States is putting pressure on European members of Nato to send more troops to Afghanistan and to lift objections to Ukraine, Georgia and Macedonia joining the alliance, as its biggest summit to date gets under way in Romania, writes Daniel McLaughlin . p
Mugabe loses control of Zimbabwe's parliament
ZIMBABWE : ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe lost his grip on the country's parliament yesterday after the official electoral body released results revealing the opposition had won a majority in the lower house. p