OUR health services have endured stiff and justified criticism in recent weeks, culminating in the government parties — supported by the utterly dependent independents — seeing off a motion of no confidence in Health Minister Mary Harney.

DISGRACED press baron Conrad Black was jailed for six-and-a-half years by Judge Amy St Eve in the US District Court in Chicago yesterday, following his conviction on three charges of fraud and one of obstructing justice. Black, who still insists he is innocent of all charges, was cleared of racketeering and tax evasion.

SCHOOL attendance problems have been spotlighted as a result of a request for information from Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton. Education Minister Mary Hanafin replied that state prosecutions have been initiated against 28 sets of parents so far this year.

IRELAND is the third biggest market for cars run on biofuel. It is behind only Sweden and France.

IT HAS been long recognised that manufacturing industries face a very challenging future in this part of the world.

OUR airports have been in a state of transition — if not turmoil — for more than four years.

WE HAVE all known for some time that we were living in an unsustainable fashion and that we would have to embrace profound change to try to reverse, delay or at the very least contain the effects of climate change.

KATY FRENCH died last night and tragically added her name to the ever-lengthening list of young Irish people believed to have died from drug misuse.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen produced a positive budget reflecting optimism rather than gloom, despite the apparent slowing of the economy in recent months.

Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers escaped a criminal conviction yesterday. He was arrested for public order offences and charged with using threatening and abusive behaviour to airline staff and security people at Dublin Airport on November 18, when he tried to board a flight for London.