A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Cardinal calls for 'justice' in NI education
Catholic primate Cardinal Sean Brady has called on the North's Education Minister Caitriona Ruane to ensure "root and branch cohesion" in her reforms of primary and post-primary schooling, writes Dan Keenan.
Dr Brady, addressing a conference of second-level school principals and governors in Armagh yesterday, restated Catholic opposition to any schools system which benefits a minority of academic pupils at the expense of a majority.
The conference was called to consider the Catholic sector's response to the most wide-ranging education reforms since 1947. "We in the Catholic sector," he told the conference, "along with many people across civic society, are clear that this is a social justice issue. All our children deserve the best that we can give them."
SDLP links IRA to Quinn murder
The Northern Ireland Assembly will debate claims of Provisional IRA involvement in the murder of Paul Quinn in a motion brought by SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley on Tuesday week.
The 21-year-old Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, man was beaten to death by a gang last October in Co Monaghan. The motion invites Assembly members to condemn the murder, to reject any criminal involvement by Mr Quinn, and to note the alleged involvement of the IRA and call on people to assist police investigations on both sides of the Border.
Tomorrow Mr Bradley will accompany the Quinn family to the Dáil where a debate on the murder has been arranged by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Sentencing of attackers
Two Dublin men whose assault on a Norwegian tourist left him with severe head injuries and a serious speech impediment have had their sentences adjourned by Judge Katherine Delahunt.
Andreas Nagelsett (35), a former school teacher, is only able to communicate with his young daughter for one hour a day before he is left exhausted. Christopher Burgess (19), Templeview Avenue, Clarehall, and Leonard Finnegan (20), Harolds Cross Road, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Mr Nagelsett causing him serious harm at Great Strand Street on March 4th, 2007.
Garda Wayne Kelly told prosecuting counsel, Roisin Lacey BL, that it was a "horrific attack which has left Mr Nagelsett mentally scarred for the rest of his life". Burgess had 18 previous convictions and Finnegan had 15 convictions. Finnegan is serving a two-year sentence imposed last October for robbing a bicycle and mobile phone from two children.
North has 70 brothels, says Lo
There are up to 70 brothels in Northern Ireland, Alliance MLA Anna Lo has claimed. Paramilitaries and overseas gangs are trafficking vulnerable women and children into the North, often from Dublin, she told the Assembly yesterday.
Ms Lo said: "The victims are predominantly women and children from poor countries or countries experiencing unrest. The traffickers use violent threats and coercion to force the victims to work against their will."
TV firm loses tenancy case
A TV production company has lost a High Court action to overturn the termination of its tenancy in part of Blackrock Town Hall in Dublin. Andy Ruane, of Like It Love It Productions Ltd, claimed he was entitled to a new tenancy . Justice Roderick Murphy said the room was unambiguously let on a temporary basis.