A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Defence Forces appointment
Brig Gen Ralph James, commanding officer of the Air Corps, has been appointed deputy chief of staff of the Defence Forces, with responsibility for operations.
He will be promoted to major general when he starts his new position. Brig Gen James has been Air Corps commander and director of military aviation since 2002.
Born in 1956, he was educated at Templeogue College, Dublin, before becoming a military cadet in November 1973. He was commissioned as an Air Corps pilot in 1975 and graduated from the Military College in 1990. He served as a UN observer in the Golan Heights and South Lebanon and was chief air staff officer in Jerusalem.
Government postpones approval of mayor legislation until autumn
The Government has postponed final approval of the legislation for a directly elected mayor of Dublin until the autumn, reports Deaglán de Bréadún.
The terms of the Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2010 were discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, the last before the summer break.
A spokesman for Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley said the 170-item draft Bill would be considered in tandem with the forthcoming White Paper on the Future of Local Government.
Holding the election in the autumn was still a possibility, if the Bill was processed quickly enough by the Oireachtas.
“It depends on the attitude of the Opposition,” he said.
McAleese to make official Russian visit
President Mary McAleese is to make an official visit to the Russian Federation in the autumn. In accordance with Article 12 of the Constitution, the Government gave its approval at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting for the five-day trip from September 6th to 11th.
The schedule and itinerary will be announced later.