In Brief: €25k payout to boy hit by car

A SCHOOLBOY injured when struck by a car as he tried to cross a main road outside a playground has been awarded €25,000 damages.

Joshua Tier (11) was nine years-old when he ran into the side of a car while crossing the Dublin-Longford Road in Edgsworthtown, Longford, on October 3, 2009.

He sued, through his mother, the driver for allegedly driving too fast and Longford County Council, owners of the playground, for failing to erect adequate signage.

The High Court heard his lawyers had recommended to his mother to take the €25,000 because the evidence would show the driver, Cathal Friel, of Fieragh, Kilmore, Roscommon, was travelling at a reasonable speed.

Farewell to shot US kidnap mum

FRIENDS and family of a woman who was fatally shot trying to save her newborn son from being abducted remembered her as a mum who lived for her children.

Authorities say Kala Golden-Schuchardt had just left a paediatric clinic near her home in Houston, Texas, when she was shot several times by a 30-year-old nurse who then abducted her three-day-old son, Keegan.

The boy was found safe hours later with the sister of the suspect, who is in jail.

"She fought so desperately those last few moments," said Wayne Law, a pastor who spoke at her funeral.

Writer gunned down in Brazil

A CRUSADING reporter has been shot and killed in Brazil as he ate dinner.

Decio Sa (42) a political reporter for the newspaper O Estado do Maranhao, was at least the fourth journalist killed this year in Brazil.

A gunman fired six bullets into Mr Sa's head and chest in a restaurant in Sao Luis before fleeing on a motorbike.

Puppy love for singer Brown

CHRIS Brown is delivering more than hit songs -- he's selling puppies.

Maureen O'Connor, a representative for the singer, confirmed Brown was selling two-month-old pit bull puppies on a website for $1,000 dollars (¤757) each.

She said the pups were born to dogs he kept at his family home in Virginia and he was selling them to find good homes.