A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
UN inspectors set to visit Irish prisons
The Government is to sign a United Nations convention that will allow international inspectors to visit prisons and other places of detention to ensure prisoners are not tortured, or mistreated, writes Mark Hennessy.
Legislation, the Attorney General has advised, will have to be introduced to establish a domestic body to take part in the inspections, although the role could be given to an already established organisation.
The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was ratified by the State in 2002.
The so-called optional protocol, allowing for inspections, was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2002.
Irish prisons are already subject to international inspections by the Council of Europe's monitoring body, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Sent for trial over £26.5m bank raid
A Northern Bank employee was sent for trial yesterday accused of the £26.5 million robbery at the bank's headquarters in Belfast nearly three years ago.
Christopher Ward (25), Colinmill, Poleglass, Belfast, has been suspended from duty pending the outcome of his trial at Belfast Crown Court. No date has been set for the trial but it is expected to take place early next year. Mr Ward denies all charges against him.
SF wants longer sex crime terms
Sinn Féin has called for more convictions and higher sentences for people guilty of domestic and sexual violence.
Assembly members Jennifer McCann and Martina Anderson yesterday held a "productive" meeting with the PSNI to highlight the incidence of such violence.
The Assembly members said that far-reaching improvements were required "right across the policing and judicial structures in dealing with domestic violence cases and particularly in conviction rates and sentencing".
Dublin Zoo names baby elephant
Following a nationwide competition, Dublin Zoo yesterday announced that their baby elephant, born on May 7th, will be named Asha, meaning "hope" in Hindi.
Bail for 'apartment scam' man
A Polish national who faces sentence for "an apartment scam", which left some of his victims living on the street, has been given bail after surrendering his false identity documents. Leszek Mikulski (27) was previously refused bail by the High Court during his five months in custody and is due for sentence in October on fraud charges.