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

German chancellor Angela Merkel (right) pays a visit to President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday.

Photograph: Bryan O'Brien

Thousands of finance jobs could move to the North
BRIAN COWEN and Peter Robinson have described a new initiative to potentially transfer thousands of jobs originally earmarked for the financial services sector in the Republic to Northern Ireland as a "win-win" situation for both economies.
DCC to pay €41m in Fyffes case settlement
THE DIRECTOR of corporate enforcement has said he will now consider whether to take his own proceedings against DCC executive chairman Jim Flavin and others, following the settlement of the Fyffes/DCC insider dealing dispute yesterday.
Elderly drivers to be offered help to pass driving test
IT'S NEVER too late to get your driving test. That's the message the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has given to more than 2,500 people aged over 65 who are still on provisional licences.

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World

Berlusconi poised to become Italian PM for third time
ITALY: MEDIA MAGNATE Silvio Berlusconi last night looked poised to win the weekend's Italian general election. p
Obama hits back over 'small-town' remarks
US: BARACK OBAMA has hit back at his presidential rivals over his description of small-town Americans as "bitter", describing Republican John McCain as out of touch and accusing Hillary Clinton of double talk over free trade. p
Zimbabwe court rejects call to release result
ZIMBABWE: ZIMBABWE'S HIGH court dashed hopes of a speedy resolution to the country's electoral crisis yesterday when it refused to order the immediate release of the presidential election result. p
Maoists defy expectations by taking lead in Nepal poll
NEPAL: NEPAL IS in the throes of a massive political upheaval, with the Maoist party (Communist Party-Maoist) taking an unexpected and dramatic lead as counting continues in the first nationwide elections since 1999. p
Chinese claim guns found after raid on Tibet temple
CHINA: CHINESE FORCES found firearms hidden throughout a Tibetan temple in an ethnic Tibetan area of southwestern China which has been the scene of anti-Chinese riots in recent weeks, state television has reported. p

Ireland

Over 420 jobs feared lost as liquidators appointed to firm
ONE OF the biggest employers in the midlands has gone into liquidation with feared losses of more than 420 jobs. p
Plans to cope with major emergencies outlined in booklet
THE GOVERNMENT is seeking to reassure people that it has plans in place to respond in the event of a major emergency. p
Siptu votes to enter talks on new pay agreement
THE COUNTRY'S largest trade union, Siptu, has voted to enter into talks with the Government and other social partners on a new national pay agreement. p
1,000 asylum review cases last year
THE NUMBER of asylum judicial review applications passed the 1,000 mark last year for the first time, The Irish Times has learned. p
Man given four years for running 'forgery factory'
A RETIRED man running a "forgery factory" making fake bank statements and payslips for loan applications, car documentation and ID cards has been given a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. p
Man who died in jail did not get medication, inquest told
AN INQUEST jury has called for a review of communications between gardaí and prison authorities following the death of a man who did not receive his prescribed anti-epileptic medication while in custody. p
Controversy over leaked memo on Lisbon Treaty
THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs has been embarrassed by the leaking of a memo which outlines what a senior British diplomat believed to be the Government's strategy for the handling of the Lisbon Treaty referendum. p
Northern Ireland sex offender's appeal rejected
ONE OF Northern Ireland's most notorious sex offenders yesterday lost his appeal against his conviction for breaching a court order designed to stop him from re-offending. p

Finance

Tinney voted back on to EBS board after lively agm
ETHNA TINNEY was voted back onto the board of the EBS Building Society yesterday evening after a lively annual meeting in Dublin. p
Second credit union takes action against Davy
A SECOND credit union has made complaints about advice on investments provided to it by stock- broking firm J&E Davy. p
DAA profits climb 56% to €109m
PROFITS AT the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) increased 56 per cent to €109 million last year, as the parent group for Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports garnered boosted revenues from higher passenger traffic at Dublin airport and new contracts won by Aer Rianta International (ARI). p

Sport

Heskey strikes at heart of Chelsea
SOCCER FA PREMIER LEAGUE - Chelsea 1 Wigan 1: IT HAD been billed as the archetypal home banker. Chelsea's trip to Everton on Thursday night would see their every sinew stretched ahead of the mouthwatering showdown against Manchester United on Saturday week, but lowly Wigan Athletic? p
Season ticket holders snap up allocation
RUGBY EUROPEAN CUP SEMI-FINALS: SARACENS HAVE satisfied the demand from season ticket holders who were given preference for Sunday week's Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. p
Galway salute second Canning
GAELIC GAMES NEWS: GALWAY'S HOPES of winning their first All-Ireland hurling title in 20 years have received another huge boost with Ollie Canning returning to the squad. p

Health

Mercy to open new A&E but hours curtailed
THE MERCY University Hospital (MUH) in Cork said yesterday it would open its new €4.7 million emergency department in June but with curtailed hours which would result in no night opening because of a shortfall in its current funding allocation from the HSE. p