A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Adams due to attend Obama inauguration
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington next week, writes Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor.
He is thought to be the only political figure from Northern Ireland to attend. The other main parties said they were not sending representatives to the ceremony at this stage.
Mr Adams and Martin McGuinness held talks last week with US special envoy to Ireland Paula Dobriansky who was on her last visit to Northern Ireland in that capacity.
Man missing in Holland sought
A search is continuing for a 24-year-old construction worker from Achill, Co Mayo, who went missing in the Netherlands about two months ago. James Patrick Grealis, known as JP, from Toneregee, Achill, was last seen in Eindhoven in the first week of November. He may have travelled to Rotterdam around that time.
Family and friends have informed police and mounted an intensive search for him which was extended from Holland in recent weeks to other European countries.
Teenager jailed for biting gardaí
A Clifden teenager was sentenced to five years in prison yesterday with two-and-a-half years suspended after pleading guilty to biting a Garda inspector in the face while a court was in session and for biting another garda on the arm in a separate assault.
Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dean Wallace(19), of Market Hill, Clifden, had developed a deep-seated hatred and resentment towards gardaí in Clifden.
Stab case man to be extradited
A man has consented to his extradition to the UK where he is wanted on charges of stabbing his brother and escaping from custody.
The High Court was told yesterday that Patrick Sweeney (32), Rathbraugh Park, Sligo, has agreed to be sent back to Britain where he is charged with the wounding with intent of his brother Michael, a father of three, outside Michael’s home at John Buck House, London, on December 1st, 2004.