US public schools in Jackson, Mississippi, will no longer handcuff students to poles or other objects and will train staff at its alternative school on better methods of discipline.

Virginia Tech University must pay the maximum $55,000 (€39,000) fine for breaking the law by waiting too long to notify students during the 2007 shooting rampage, but will not lose government aid, the US Department of Education said.

IT is a very sorry state of affairs when a bigot like Ian Paisley finds ready apologists for his injustices and tyranny in the pages of the Irish Examiner (Ryle Dwyer, March 24).