One of two boys accused of Anastasia Kriegel’s murder claimed that he tried to be considerate and not hurt her feelings when declining her offer of a relationship on the evening he is alleged to have killed her.

Nearly half of employees at a Wisconsin technology company agreed to be voluntarily microchipped during a "chip party" at the firm's headquarters.

Leinster 31 Glasgow Warriers 30: A youthful Leinster side had to deal with a second-half Glasgow power surge and a floodlight failure, the latter coming only 90 seconds out from the final whistle, before securing a 10th straight Guinness PRO12 win last night.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says Scott Fardy’s experience will play a crucial role in the development of the academy players at the province. The 32-year-old versatile Brumbies lock will join Leinster after the Super Rugby season ends.

A man was critically injured when he was attacked by a shark while spear fishing on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, an official said.

Update - 2.15pm: Age Action hit out after advisers called for a shift in cultural norms over when people should stop work but stopped short of demanding reform to working into older age.

Glasgow Warriors 12 Leinster 6: Connacht can sleep easily this weekend after Leinster failed to knock the Galway men off their top perch in the Guinness Pro12 last night at Scotstoun with defeat to Glasgow in a match that produced not a single try.

With most of the province’s established stars in the Ireland camp preparing for the Six Nations, a number of younger players are being given a chance to shine in tomorrow’s PRO12 game.

Renua deputy leader Billy Timmins has denied the party is “ripping off” Fianna Fáil policies.

The head of Age Action has called on the organisation’s members to ensure the needs of older people are firmly on the agenda in the next general election.

Hospitals have been told the number of delayed discharges — patients whose acute part of their care has ended — must be reduced on a continuous basis so that the figure does not exceed 500.

The four people that Maíria Cahill accused of subjecting her to a "kangaroo court" over her claims that she was raped by a IRA member have refused to meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Ex-Central Remedial Clinic boss Paul Kiely has again been urged to give back his controversial €740,000 severance package pay-out, after the charity suffered a loss of almost exactly the same amount last year.

We need to tackle age discrimination and recognise the valuable contribution of older people, writes Bette Browne

Child Benefit is to increase by €5 per child from next January with a promise of an identical rise in 2016 so long as the economic recovery continues.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar expressed support for the retention of the travel pass for older people as Age Action launched a campaign to protect it.

Older people’s charities have called for greater action against elder abuse, with figures showing an average of almost 2,000 suspected cases formally reported to health authorities every year.

Radical reforms on reducing pay and pensions for politicians, term limits for ministers, and limiting Government powers have been proposed by a group of Independent TDs and senators.

A member of the 'Reform Alliance' of former Fine Gael TDs has denied the group is about to become a political party.

The Ireland Under-20s fell agonisingly short of defeating Grand Slam champions France in their opening IRB Junior World Championship match in Auckland.

The Central Remedial Clinic is to cut its CEO’s salary by two thirds as part of sweeping changes.

The disability sector said they fear people with disabilities and their families will still be penalised by water charges, despite the concessions announced yesterday, while advocacy groups for older people gave the preliminary water charges scheme a cautious welcome.

Age Action Ireland has called on the Government to divert the extra money it will get from this Thursday’s hike in tax on solid fuels to protect vulnerable pensioners.

The advertising industry’s lack of interest in old people reflects a societal failing, says John Hearne.

U20 SIX NATIONS:

U20 SIX NATIONS:

Ireland 34 Scotland 7

The Rehab Group has not provided Justice Minister Alan Shatter with recent profits from its controversial scratch card game, despite receiving over €6m in public funding and providing assurances there was “complete transparency” over the running and costs of all of its lottery games.

A record number of pensioners are seeking potentially lifesaving monitored personal alarms under the State’s seniors alert scheme.

New political grouping The Reform Alliance, which is due to be registered with the Standards in Public Office Commission in coming days, is holding a conference at the end of this month.

Ireland’s levy on pensions may last indefinitely in the light of the Government decision to change the operation of employees’ defined benefit schemes.

The Government has unveiled a combination of measures which will increase hardship for the most vulnerable elderly in our society forcing more to turn to charities for help, it has been claimed.

LISTENING to Pat Kenny chat and effortlessly negotiate a packed radio schedule on Newstalk, he has made a seamless switch from RTÉ, where he had a 41-year tenure.

Fine Gael rebels have denied threatening to set up a right-wing party in order to try and bounce Enda Kenny into allowing them a bigger role in the Dáil.

A political splinter group made up of ex-Fine Gael TDs is believed to be forming under former minister Lucinda Creighton.

Gardaí are weeks away from approving measures to combat rural crime despite growing fears over a renewed spate of attacks on elderly people.

The expulsion of anti-abortion TDs from Fine Gael has been compared to a death in the family by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

Fine Gael TDs Peter Mathews and Billy Timmins have been removed from the Dáil's Finance Committee.

Four Fine Gael TDs who voted against legislation allowing abortion in limited circumstances were last night expelled from the parliamentary party and told they would be stripped of their membership on Oireachtas committees.

The Prison Service has introduced a “blanket ban” on all mobile phones in prisons, including those used by prison governors.

Winter fuel allowance payments for the lower paid are to be extended amid concerns about the costs of heating and energy bills in the freezing conditions.

The Social Protection minister, Joan Burton, is expected to announce this morning that she intends to extend the fuel allowance scheme by an extra week this year.