More news in brief
More than 1,300 British soldiers have been found guilty of crimes while serving in Northern Ireland since 2000, a unionist MP has been told.
Lady Hermon, the UUP MP for North Down, was given the figures by armed forces minister Adam Ingram. She said the statistics were "absolutely shocking" and called for a breakdown of the figures.
"I want to know what types of offences are masked by these statistics and what the ministry of defence is doing to tackle what is obviously a very serious problem within its ranks," she said.
Nurses suspended over prank
Three nurses have been suspended after a prank went wrong and they accidentally squirted cleaning liquid into a colleague's eye at the emergency department of Cork University Hospital, writes Barry Roche.
The nurses had filled a syringe with an antiseptic handwashing preparation and squirted it at a colleague on her last night at work at the hospital on October 31st last before she left for Australia. Some of the liquid accidentally hit the woman in her eye and while she was treated, it is understood she suffered damage to her cornea. The woman recovered and left for Australia. Yesterday the nurses, accompanied by representatives of the Irish Nurses' Organisation, met senior management at the hospital and HSE representatives. The HSE said an investigation is underway.
France to honour Irish scientist
The French government will tomorrow present a prestigious Chevalier award to an Irish scientist, the first time the distinction has been given to a researcher here, writes Dick Ahlstrom, Science Editor.
Prof Brian Harvey, the professor of molecular medicine and director of research at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, yesterday expressed delight at receiving the award. The honour is in recognition of his work in promoting scientific collaboration between France and Ireland.