brought forward
to February. Before then, Mr Cowen will try to ensure that financial legislation required as part of Ireland's international bail-out will be passed by the Irish parliament, but that may not be possible.
World News from the BBC
Egypt says it has proof that a Palestinian militant group linked to al-Qaeda was behind the bombing of a church in the city of Alexandria which killed more than 20 people on New Year's Day. The Egyptian Interior Minister Habib al-Adly said a Gaza-based group called the Army of Islam carried out the bombing.
"If the elements of the Palestinian Army of Islam, linked to the al-Qaeda organisation, think that they were hiding behind people who were recruited, their
despicable
involvement in this mean act of terrorism has been confirmed by
conclusive
evidence."
The Army of Islam has denied involvement, and the Palestinian militant movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it would never allow anyone to harm Arab and Egyptian national security.
Officials in Brazil say more than 800 people are now known to have died in floods and landslides in the southeast of the country this month. More than 400 people are still reported to be missing after torrential rain caused whole hillsides to collapse.
Exit polls in Portugal in the election for the largely ceremonial role of president indicate that the incumbent Anibal Cavaco Silva has been re-elected. According to television network projections, Mr Cavaco Silva secured an outright victory in the first round.