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

Teacher and Galway supporter Brid O'Donoghue, from Ballyglunin, Co Galway, is outnumbered as her Cork students at Colaiste Daibheid, South Terrace, Cork city, get into the mood for tomorrow's All-Ireland hurling final between the two counties.

Photograph: Daragh MacSweeney/Provision

Two homeless found dead in 12-hour period
Gardaí were last night trying to positively identify the bodies of two homeless people who were found dead within a 12-hour period on the south side of Dublin city centre, writes John Downes

Ex-client of Hobbs in €1.25m settlement with Revenue
A former client of TV personality and financial adviser Eddie Hobbs who moved funds offshore in the 1990s had to subsequently make a €1.25 million settlement with the Revenue, writes Colm Keena , Public Affairs Correspondent
Gas and electricity charges set to rise for consumers
Consumers are facing significant increases in gas and electricity charges starting from October, the energy regulator has announced. Emmet Oliver reports

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

Heritage body to protect Irish 'big houses'
The Government is to establish a new Irish Heritage Trust to acquire and safeguard historic buildings and properties around the country. p
Quarter of patients wait over a year
A quarter of the patients waiting for surgery at six Dublin hospitals have been waiting for more than a year for their operations, according to new figures. p
17% of crimes are not reported, survey indicates
A major survey on public attitudes to the Garda has found that 17 per cent of crimes committed in the State are not reported. p
Tsunami victims died of drowning
Three of the four Irish people who lost their lives in Thailand during the December 2004 Indian ocean tsunami died as a result of the natural disaster, the Dublin city coroner found yesterday. p
Eagers believe State has let their daughter down
Murdered girl's family say Minister was stand-offish about the case, writes Deaglán de Bréadún p
Scientists developing 'silent aircraft'
Aerospace The development of a "silent aircraft" could bring relief to the thousands of people living close to airports, the BA festival heard. Specialists are tackling aircraft noise by taking a completely fresh look at the design of aircraft. p
Vigil commemorates victims of suicide
Around 300 people gathered in the forecourt of the Bank of Ireland on College Green, Dublin, last night for a candle-lit vigil to remember friends and family members killed by suicide. p
FF chair of committee denies he is avoiding Shell issue
Fianna Fáil's Noel O'Flynn, chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, rejected a Labour Party claim that he is avoiding convening a meeting on the Shell Corrib gas issue. p

World

Disaster chief relieved of role
The US : Michael Brown, the head of the Bush administration's disaster relief effort, was yesterday relieved of his role co-ordinating the response to Hurricane Katrina, after allegations that he had embroidered his professional record and had no emergency management experience. p
Israeli military posts in Gaza are removed
MIDDLE EAST : Israel destroyed the last of its military installations in the Gaza Strip yesterday, but the complete withdrawal of the army from the area and the handover of the territory to the Palestinians was delayed because of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's indecision over what to do with some two dozen synagogues in the strip. p
10 million face food crisis in southern Africa
AFRICA : Southern Africa is facing a food crisis within six months that will affect 10 million people unless wealthy nations help to avert the impending disaster, according to aid agencies in the region. p

Opinion

Kenny sees electable alternative emerging
As he prepares for Fine Gael's two-day parliamentary party meeting next week, Mark Brennock finds Enda Kenny focused on becoming taoiseach p

Finance

Oil prices fall over signs of slowing global demand
Oil prices fell yesterday as petrol futures plummeted on signs of slowing demand growth and expectations that refiners would delay autumn maintenance to make up for supplies shut by Hurricane Katrina. p
Sean Dunne increases Jurys stake to 24%
Developer Sean Dunne has raised his stake in Jurys Doyle to 24 per cent and is thought to be planning further purchases that could lift his position to 29.9 per cent of the company. p
Europe 'resilient' to energy costs
Europe's economy will not suffer from oil price increases to the same extent as in the 1970s and 1980s, according to the EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, Joaquin Almunia. p

Sport

Galway free to upset odds
All-Ireland SHC Final Cork v Galway Tomorrow's Guinness All-Ireland hurling final brings to its climax a championship that started slowly and is finishing in style. Last month's bristling semi-finals turned around the season that had been flat and delivered a final that virtually no one would have foreseen at any stage of the season, let alone the start. p
Azamour's class to tell despite weather fears
Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown, 3.55pm The build-up to today's Baileys Irish Champion Stakes has had more script changes than Casablanca but despite everything Azamour still looks the one to take top billing for the second year running. p
United boss backs Rooney attitude
Alex Ferguson has launched an impassioned defence of Wayne Rooney and says he will not try to change the temperamental Manchester United forward. p