Ireland is determined that the people responsible for killing an Irish UN peacekeeper in Lebanon will be brought to justice, Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin has said.
He spoke as he visited Beirut to meet Irish troops serving with the UN Interim Force Lebanon (Unifil).
His itinerary also included meetings with Lebanese Defence Minister Maurice Sleem and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.
Irish peacekeeper Pvt Sean Rooney, 24, from Co Donegal, was killed in 2022 while serving in Lebanon when his convoy was attacked.
“A central focus of my visit will be meeting with Lebanese ministers to communicate the absolute determination of the Irish Government to ensure those responsible for Pvt Rooney’s death are brought to justice,” Mr Martin said.
“I am very much looking forward to meeting our peacekeepers who serve with such distinction in Unifil, and in a very challenging environment amid escalating tensions due to the war in Gaza.
Ireland will continue to support Unifil, and the important role it plays in de-escalation in the south of Lebanon, he said.
“The dedication of defence force personnel and their families is a vital part of Ireland’s commitment to global peace and security, Mr Martin added.
“Nowhere is this engagement more evident than in South Lebanon.”
The Deputy Prime Minister was expected to travel to Camp Shamrock to meet members of the 124th Infantry Battalion in Unifil, Ireland’s largest overseas deployment.
Ireland has recently approved deployment of an additional platoon of 33 troops to serve with the Irish Battalion in Unifil.
On his arrival at Camp Shamrock, Mr Martin was set to receive an honour guard, meet UN and Irish military leaders, and address the troops.
It is his second visit to Beirut since Private Rooney’s death.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
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Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
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