A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Irish climber reaches summit of Everest
A Wicklow climber attempting to set a new world record for the fastest ascent of the seven highest peaks on all seven continents, has reached the summit of Mount Everest, writes Grania Willis
Ian McKeever was on the 8,848m summit at 3.18am Irish time yesterday having climbed via the northeast ridge with the Adventure Peaks expedition leader, Robin Cheadle, and Dorje Sherpa. McKeever, who hopes to break the 187-day record for the seven summits, was one of 12 Adventure Peaks climbers to reach the summit yesterday.
Three climbers were reported to have died on the mountain yesterday. Two Koreans were caught in rockfall on the southwest face, while a Japanese climber collapsed and died shortly after summiting.
McKeever has now completed five of the seven peaks on his Ulster Bank Seven Summits Challenge, having climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in South America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Carstensz Pyramid in Australasia and now Everest in Asia.
His attempt on Mount Elbrus in Russia had to be aborted last month.
McKeever now heads for the North American peak of Denali in Alaska later this month, before returning for a second attempt on Elbrus in June.
Irish woman killed in South Africa
Police in South Africa are investigating the fatal shooting of an Irish woman during a car-jacking in Johannesburg.
Pamela McGillian (62) was returning to her home in the city's northern suburbs on Friday night when she was confronted by armed men who demanded the keys to her car. She was shot and died at the scene.
Ms McGillian had been living in South Africa for more than 30 years and had worked in the travel industry.
Warning on public health service
Ireland will soon lose the capacity to develop a fair public health service, with access based on need, if the process of privatisation continues unchecked, according to the trade union Impact.
The cathaoirleach of Impact's health division Christine Cully said in Portlaoise yesterday there was a high risk of drifting into a more entrenched two- tier system because many politicians had "sleep- walked" into policies that support privatisation.
Plans for the development of private facilities on public hospital grounds were an example of this process, she said.
Priest accused of molesting girl (12)
An Irish Catholic priest accused of sexually molesting a 12-year-old girl lied when confronted by the child's grandmother, Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday. When questioned about his paedophile friend, Fr Jeremiah McGrath told her not to believe anyone, "particularly the police".
Fr McGrath (62) denies one offence of sexual assault and three offences of arranging or facilitating the commission by William Adams of a sexual offence.
Adams (38) has admitted repeatedly raping the girl when she was 11 and 12 in Liverpool, Southport and Blackpool.
The case continues today.