A glance at the week that was
The numbers
€220mThe amount insurance companies paid out in claims related to December's Arctic weather conditions.
233The number of child-abduction cases investigated in Ireland last year.
2,000The number of jobs AIB plans to cut by the end of 2012 because of increased losses.
1,854The number of Irish patients waiting for a potentially life-saving colonoscopy, up 1,006 since last year.
€1mThe amount of unclaimed taxes Irish students leave behind in the US each year after their working holidays.
We now know
Dublin Zoo has revealed that its baby gorilla, born last month, is a boy.
U2’s 360 tour has become the highest-grossing in history after the band’s concert in Brazil on Sunday.
The old minimum wage of €8.63 per hour is to be restored by the summer.
Who nicked the Bic
Czech Republic president Václav Klaus has been teased for discreetly pocketing a pen during a state visit to Chile. A viral video clip shows Klaus eyeing the pen during a press conference with Chilean president Sebastian Pinera, before holding it under the table and appearing to put it in his pocket. The Czech president’s spokesman Radim Ochvat said Klaus was entitled to keep the pen as a souvenir. “We always give such a pen to delegations, along with a notepad,” he said.
Most read this week on irishtimes.com
1Irish taxpayers 'should foot bank bill'
2Which are the fastest growing schools – and which are down?
3Ryanair heirs to sell treasures of Lyons estate
4Tubridy poised to take BBC slot
5Jesus's 'Crucifixion nails' found
6McIlroy puts a brave face on collapse
7Woman's body found in Dublin
8McIlroy melts in Augusta heat
9Ahern shares his economic wisdom with Nigerians
10Blue heaven as Toulouse only take up fraction of Aviva tickets
