D Friday, September 25, 2009 METRO Official figures: Crisis is easing THE depth of the recession eased slightly during the summer, official figures have shown. The value of all business and services, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), continued to show sharp falls and is down by 8.4 per cent for the first half of the year. But the national accounts showed the recession was not as severe in the second quarter. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said sharp declines in house building and personal spending were mostly to blame for this years continued slowdown. The economic review also showed Irish firms were still being hit harder than multinationals. Cut number of prisoners or people will die judgeBy sarah stack High-fat diet can help reduce epileptic fits A HIGH-FAT diet can help cut the number of fits suffered by children with epilepsy. Participants in the ketogenic diet saw a 50 per cent reduction in seizures, while a quarter had no fits at all for more than six months in a hospital pilot study in Leicester, UK. The diet works by tricking the body into burning fat rather than carbohydrates. This means ketones build up in the body, which cuts the discharges in the brain that cause seizures. A PRISON inspector last night called for capacity at Mountjoy Prison to be cut to 540 amid fears that overcrowding could result in death or injury. A report by Judge Michael Reilly, Inspector of Prisons, found living conditions were inhumane and degrading, with inmates forced to eat meals beside buckets which are used as toilets in shared cells. During one visit to the Dublin jail, Mr Reilly found that 680 men were imprisoned. Last night, there were 604 prisoners in Mountjoy. The inspector said prisoners exceeding the stated bed capacity of 573 are accommodated on mattress- es in already occupied cells, in cells in the reception area or in a shower room. He added that 376 cells on the main block do not have sanitation and said he witnessed seven prison- ers in a four-man cell having to use three buckets. Mr Reilly visited the prison 11 times at different times of the day and night in eight months. One night he found 15 inmates held in the reception area, with eight prisoners in one room, a practice which could lead to possible serious injury or loss of life. His report to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern high- lighted serious incidents including a riot in July 2008, a hostage incident in March, a death in July and injuries to prison staff. He also reported cock- roaches, evidence of mice, torn and soiled mattress- es, blocked toilets and overflowing urinals. A spokesman for Minister Ahern said measures were being taken to address prison overcrowding, including an extra 400 places at three other prisons. a Golden Delicious apple split perfectly down the middle into red and green is the talk of the town in Devon, England. People have been queuing up to take pictures of the rarity grown by keen gardener ken Morrish. Its absolutely phenomenal, said the 72-year-old. APPLE BAFFLES index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html