Newsround: what Tuesday's papers say

The top stories in Tuesday's newspapers:

THE IRISH TIMES

- The paper reports that the average cost of renting a home in the Republic has increased by €134 a month over the past year with prices in Dublin climbing by substantially more, a new report on the housing market finds. Figures published by property website Daft.ie show that rents have increased by 13.4 per cent a year in the second-highest jump on record.

- It also says that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs have expressed alarm at a proposal to completely separate public and private healthcare. A draft report by Dáil deputies on the Committee on the Future of Healthcare, who were tasked with designing a 10-year plan for the state's health services, stipulates that the public and private systems should be "completely disentangled".

- Questions over the US president Donald Trump's administration's links with Russia intensified yesterday as former attorney general Sally Yates told a Senate committee that she warned the White House that former national security adviser Michael Flynn could be blackmailed by Russia.

- In its business section, the paper reports that no bonuses or incentive payments will be given to senior executives in AIB as part of the expected share sale by the government in the coming weeks, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has confirmed.

FINANCIAL TIMES

- The paper reports that Theresa May has promised to bring net migration below 100,000 a year if she wins the UK general election, embracing the controversial target that the Conservatives have failed to hit in their past seven years in government.

- German chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged to co-operate closely with the new pro-EU president of France, Emmanuel Macron, warmly welcoming his election. But she brushed aside suggestions that Germany should help Macron, who has promised reforms to boost the French economy, by relaxing euro zone spending rules stoutly defended by Berlin.

- It also reports that ChemChina and Sinochem are planning to merge next year, creating the world's biggest chemicals group with $100 billion of revenues, according to several senior bankers in Asia.

- Warnings from financial services companies about their plans to move jobs or activities out of the UK because of Brexit are rising, according to new research. EY, the consultancy has found that more than a quarter of the 222 largest UK financial services firms that it tracks have said they will shift resources out of the country or change their domicile as a result of Brexit.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- The paper reports on its front page on calls for action on rural crime after burglars smashed a walking stick over the head of a 94-year old man during a violent robbery at his home in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, on Sunday.

- It also says that the Garda anti-terror unit has arrested two foreign nationals on suspicion of laundering money for the terrorist organisation Isil. Detectives from Counter Terrorism International swooped on the two men, a Moroccan national and an Algerian national, in Dublin yesterday following a lengthy operation involving international police agencies.

- The paper says it's time to try out something radical to boost the housing supply as it reports that a housing scheme in south Dublin sold out within hours of going on the market. The 49 properties in the Hawthorn development in Clonskeagh were snapped up in less than a day with most bought by first-time buyers.

- Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe is set to back Leo Varadkar in the Fine Gael leadership race, insiders believe. Sources close to Simon Coveney have admitted they no longer think they can secure the backing of Donohoe, whose vote will be seen as very influential.

IRISH EXAMINER

- Three families have launched legal action in the High Court seeking to compel the HSE to deliver assessments of need for children who might have a disability within the designated time frame in a move which could affect thousands of families. Under the Disability Act 2005, children must receive an initial assessment of needs within three months of receipt of an application and a complete assessment within a further three months.

- The long-awaited Public Sector Pay Commission report recommending continued restoration of pay is to be brought to Cabinet today. In return for increased wages, which the government could delay by a number of months, the report is expected to recommend workers contribute more towards their pensions, a move expected to spark fury among workers.

- New car sales fell by almost 10 per cent in April compared to the same month last year while used car imports jumped nearly 30 per cent, new figures from the CSO show. In the first four months of the year, a total of 74,180 new private cars were licensed, a drop of nearly 11 per cent.

- In its business section, the paper reports that SuperValu kept its lead in the supermarket wars over the key Easter period when shoppers spent €2.4 billion on groceries despite a big sales surge by rival Dunnes Stores.