The relics of St Valentine form a shrine to romance in Whitefriar St church in Dublin. The visitors’ book is filled every six weeks with people’s hopes and requests for love, says Barbara Scully

Democratic and Republican leaders appeared close to agreement with the White House today on emergency tax cuts and benefit increases to jolt the US economy out of its slump.

THE US federal government is in store for at least eight more years of budget deficits, including a record $480 billion shortfall in 2004, congressional budget, according to analysts.