:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/55PMS4KVIEO5TC5YJEEWI34NDI.jpg)
1. US presidential debate: Trump seeks to defend groping women remarks with ferocious attack on Clintons
The gloves came off in the second US presidential debate as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton clashed in ugly exchanges over the leaked tape showing the Republican bragging about sexually assaulting women.
The debate was defined by insults and interruptions by Mr Trump in a more engaged and effective debate for the Republican as he stuck to his campaign messages and jabbed at his Democratic rival again and again.
His performance is likely to please his supporters, but it is unclear whether it will broaden his base and reverse Mrs Clinton’s resurgence in the polls.
2. Fine Gael TDs accuse Fianna Fáil of attacking 'potential leader' Varadkar
A group of Fine Gael TDs has accused Fianna Fáil of using the budget to attack Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar and undermine him as a potential party leader.
The lead up to tomorrow's budget has seen haggling between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over welfare payment increases and criticism of Mr Varadkar by Fianna Fáil figures.
Mr Varadkar is among the candidates to replace Taoiseach Enda Kenny when he steps down as Fine Gael leader.
Those who spoke out for Mr Varadkar include TDs Noel Rock, Peter Burke, Alan Farrell and Colm Brophy.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has denied that his party is singling out Mr Varadkar because he is a potential Fine Gael leader.
3. 'Irish Times' poll: Majority support appeal of Apple ruling
A majority of Irish voters believe the Government is right to appeal the European Commission ruling in the Apple case, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll.
When asked whether the Government was right to appeal the ruling that Apple should pay €13 billion in back tax, 47 per cent said yes, 39 per cent said no and 14 per cent had no opinion.
The decision to appeal the ruling caused a storm of controversy both at home and abroad, but the poll shows a majority of people back the Government’s stance.
4. Britain to push post-Brexit immigration controls back to Irish border
Britain is seeking to shift the frontline of immigration controls to Ireland's ports and airports to avoid having to introduce a "hard border" between north and south after the UK leaves the European Union, according to media reports in the UK.
Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, told the Guardian newspaper that London and Dublin will work to strengthen Ireland's external borders in order to combat illegal migration into the UK once it leaves the European Union.
Border controls would probably be seen as a violation of the Good Friday agreement and a provocation in a region that has only relatively recently put violence behind it.
Shifting the onus of immigration control to Irish entry points such as Dublin airport and Rosslare port would avoid this.
5. Martin Callinan's SIM card should be recreated, says Brendan Howlin
The Garda should "recreate" the missing SIM card from the mobile phone of former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan to test whistleblowers' allegations of a smear campaign, Labour leader Brendan Howlin has said.
He said it was a "worry" that the SIM card had never been accessed by the Fennelly Commission, which last year issued a report on the circumstances in which Mr Callinan vacated the post of Garda commissioner. He said the commission's work had been compromised as a result.
And finally: There could be a strong economic case for Ireland leaving EU, writes Wolfgang Münchau, who argues that our 'unsustainable business model' in an EU where taxes are harmonised could see it follow the UK's lead in an 'Irexit'.