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Hillary Clinton greets supporters at a rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, ahead of today's crucial Democratic primary vote in the state, where she has a small lead over Barack Obama.

Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Clinton and Obama face decisive primary vote today
BARACK OBAMA and Hillary Clinton face off today in what could be the decisive contest of the Democratic presidential campaign as Pennsylvania becomes the last big state to hold a primary. Both candidates made last-minute appeals across the state as polls showed Mrs Clinton with a lead of about six points in a state she must win to keep her faltering candidacy alive.
10,000 customers affected after four B of I laptops are stolen
BANK OF Ireland is to write to over 10,000 of its life assurance customers after laptops containing their confidential personal and financial details were stolen.
Garda powers of request for internet data to be widened
THE RANGE of criminal investigations for which the Garda will be able to request e-mail and internet data retained by internet service providers has been broadened by the Government.

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Ireland

Damage from alcohol increasing, warns report
A NEW report on alcohol-related harm has highlighted the "increasingly negative role played by alcohol" in Irish society and has warned that a dramatic increase in alcohol-related harm does not bode well for the future health and wellbeing of the population. p
€1.2bn mall scheme to transform O'Connell Street area
DEVELOPERS ARE to lodge a planning application with Dublin City Council this week for a €1.2 billion mixed-use scheme for a 5.5 acre site centred on the former Carlton cinema on Upper O'Connell Street. p
Labour to caution TDs on character references
LABOUR PARTY leader Eamon Gilmore is to write to the party's Oireachtas members advising them to exercise caution in supplying character references following the controversy over a letter written by Kathleen Lynch TD to a judge sentencing a rapist. p
Noted gangland figures among 13 arrested
A NUMBER of significant gangland figures are among 13 people arrested in connection with the murder of Anthony Russell in north Dublin on Friday night. p
Husband of murdered Waterford woman told 'pack of lies'
A WATERFORD man told gardaí a "pack of lies" when they interviewed him about the murder of his wife, a Garda witness has told a Central Criminal Court jury. p
McGuinness denies hearing of Enniskillen bomb plan
THE NORTH'S Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has dismissed as a "securocrat fantasy" allegations that he had prior knowledge of the IRA Enniskillen bombing that killed 11 people on Remembrance Sunday in 1987. p
Fire badly damages Lucan Gaelscoil
PARENTS, PUPILS and staff at a Gaelscoil in west Dublin have told of their shock and deep sadness after a fire caused extensive damage to their primary school. p
Ahern defends HSE's childcare services record
TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern said yesterday he believed that the HSE was doing a good job in providing child and family services, after a new report found major shortcomings in child protection services. p

Finance

Bank of England in £50bn plan to boost liquidity
THE BANK of England yesterday made an almost unlimited offer to acquire UK banks' mortgage-backed securities for up to three years in return for treasury bills. p
Chairman of Cork Airport Authority to resign
CORK AIRPORT Authority chairman Joe Gantly yesterday announced that he is to resign from the post at the end of July but insisted that his decision had nothing to do with a recent divisive vote to accept a plan which will see the authority accept a € 113 million loan debt. p
AIB presses rivals by not changing tracker rate
AIB has increased the pressure on its rivals in the mortgage market by leaving its standard tracker mortgage unchanged. p

World

Battle to avert Labour rebellion over tax charge
ANALYSIS: Gordon Brown and his chancellor have their hands full ahead of next week's elections, writes FRANK MILLAR, London Editor. p
Lugo ends 62-year reign of Paraguay's Colorado party
PARAGUAY: PARAGUAY FINALLY completed its transition to democracy on Sunday night when a former Catholic bishop ended the near 62-year grip on power of the country's ruling Colorado party, almost two decades after the end of the country's dictatorship. p
SA observer accuses Mugabe regime of rigging vote recount
ZIMBABWE: THE SOUTH African member of the regional observer team sent to monitor the partial recount of Zimbabwe's general election has accused the ruling regime of rigging the process. p

Sport

Brennan 'disgusted' by Parnell Park scenes
GAELIC GAMES NEWS: GAA PRESIDENT Nickey Brennan yesterday described the level of indiscipline during Sunday's Dublin-Meath football league match as "appalling" and "unacceptable", and promised a further investigation into the controversial events at Parnell Park. p
Kenna takes reins at Galway United
SOCCER: AS WIDELY predicted, Galway United yesterday unveiled former Irish international defender Jeff Kenna as their new manager in succession to Tony Cousins who was sacked on March 30th. p
Don't expect the beautiful game
SOCCER/Liverpool v Chelsea: THEY'VE STAGED their share of duds since taking over as European Capital of Culture, not least the concert to launch the whole shebang back in January, but not even the locals are claiming that tonight's Champions League encounter at Anfield will be particularly easy on the eye. p