A glance at the week that was
Cowen's cull
There was a cull of the Government’s front benches this week, when Brian Cowen’s promise to cut the number of junior ministers by five actually led to seven losing their jobs and two TDs getting a promotion. It’ll be a bit frosty around the Kitt family table at least, with Michael Kitt losing out but his sister Áine Brady stepping up. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Lorraine Keane or Gráinne Seoige didn’t get a ministerial post, given all the speculation over their job changes this week.
Lion heart
Paul O'Connell (left) will now get his chance to put the fear of God into South Africa when he captains the Lions in the upcoming tour. He's one of 14 Irish on the squad – a record.
It also makes Ireland the country with most representatives. Eight of the players are from Munster, which has allowed some of that province's always humble supporters to dub the squad the "Munster and British Lions".
We now know
Iran's army snipers have some brilliant camouflage(see picture)
The Sun is at its dimmest for almost a century, due to the lack of sunspot activity
Roy Keane is the new manager of Ipswich Townfootball club
The numbers
2.46mThe height of 27-year-old Chinese man Zhao Liang, (8ft 1in) which makes him the tallest man in the world
€244mValue of punts still being held by Irish people, unconverted into euro
€78,500 The cost of the world's most expensive suit, made with rare wools and displayed this week in London