Troubles trauma and the general’s warning

The Daily Mirror leads with a mental health story, an academic’s warning that trauma from the Troubles has been been passed to unborn children.

Research shows some evidence that a parent’s trauma can affect the genes passed to their children, Professor Siobhan O’Neill from Ulster University said.

She said more needs to be done to mitigate against the effects of this transmission in Northern Ireland.

“This means providing resilience and mental health programmes in schools,” Prof O’Neill told the Mirror.

‘Nonsense’

A former US military leader has involved himself in the controversy over how to handle the legacy of the Troubles, the News Letter reports in its front page story.

General David Petraeus has said that the UK’s military capabilities could be “greatly diminished” if human rights legislation cannot be balanced against the law of warfare.

He believes that the “over-expansive interpretation of the European Convention of Human Rights” could hamper the UK in the use of force and that could threaten its military alliance with the US.

Speaking at an event in Westminster, General Petraeus described investigations into allegations of crimes committed by soldiers in Northern Ireland as “relentless and seemingly unending”.

The News Letter’s editorial hails the general’s intervention, describing “grievance mongering… with nationalist Ireland” as “nonsense”.

The Irish News covers the Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley’s plans to give the Northern Ireland’s parties 10 months to restore power-sharing.

“Who’s leading who?” its front page picture caption asks, the image is of DUP leader Arlene Foster, her arm clasped on that of the Secretary of State.

The Belfast Telegraph could not resist using the same image.

‘Bradley’s naivety’

The Irish News combines coverage of the latest twist in the Brexit talks with coverage of Mrs Bradley’s bill aimed at giving civil servants greater flexibility in making decisions in the absence of Stormont ministers.

The Irish News editorial deals with both issues, saying that the possibility of a return of power sharing and a satisfactory resolution to Brexit are equally as remote.

The Belfast Telegraph in its editorial is scathing of Mrs Bradley’s plan and is critical of her understanding of her role.

It sits under the headline: “Bradley’s naivety on display once again”.

Milkman

And writing in the Telegraph Alex Kane writes that the only point of Mrs Bradley’s proposed legislation, the Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions Bill, is to give the impression that something is being done.

Mr Kane believes that Mrs Bradley has “always demonstrated a remarkable reluctance to take matters into her own hands”.

 

 

 

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