DUBLIN, Aug 13 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Ireland's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and cannot vouch for their accuracy:

THE IRISH TIMES

- Dublin was hit by flooding again last night as the capital's fire brigade responded to hundreds of calls for help from swamped citizens. Homes in the north of the city were among the main casualties of the persistent heavy rain.

- Farmers handed out free cans of Guinness in Dublin to protest over the price they receive for malting barley, a crop they say they will not grow again unless they get higher prices.

- More than 100 Irish troops serving in Chad have begun a major airborne operation on the border region with Sudan in a bid to shore up security in rural regions close to Darfur.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- A trade union is set to lodge 5 percent pay claims with Irish Life and Permanent, EBS, Allianz, Royal and Sun Alliance, Standard Life and Axa within weeks. Unite has confirmed it will have served its first raft of claims with financial service firms by September following the collapse of national pay talks.

- The number of people dying by suicide is almost 50 percent higher in the Republic than in the North, according to a new study.

IRISH EXAMINER

- The highest failure rates in Leaving Certificate maths for more than five years has raised serious questions about the government's ability to reverse the downward trend in the subject.

- Irish troops are leading a mission in Chad to protect refugee farmers returning to their land and reassure villagers of their safety under the protection of EU troops.

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