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EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine things you need to know as you begin your day.
1. #HORSE MEAT: Beef baron Larry Goodman has suggested that the presence of equine DNA in beef burgers produced at a factory owned by his company could have come from the air. “We are talking about DNA testing and DNA will pick up molecules and something in the air,” he told the Financial Times, adding that he suspects the contamination came from a filler product sourced from continental Europe. Dutch food watchdogs have now been asked to investigate the affair.
2. #SHOOTING: A man is being treated in hospital after sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg in Saggart, Co Dublin overnight. The 30-year-old was found wounded at Fairgreen shortly after midnight, and was taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital. A man in his 30s has been arrested.
3. #EUROPEAN UNION: One third of Irish people believe Ireland should leave the European Union if the UK does likewise, according to a Red C poll published this morning. The poll commissioned by European Movement Ireland also found that 85 per cent of people think that Ireland should remain with the EU and 83 per cent of Irish adults say Ireland has benefited from its membership of the EU.
4. #ALGERIA: Security officials believe 10 foreign hostages are still being held by rebels linked to Al-Qaeda at a gas compound in eastern Algeria. The gunmen themselves say they have seven foreign nationals, but security workers say there are still several foreigners who are unaccounted for. Stephen McFaul, the Irishman who escaped the hostage situation on Thursday, is due back in Ireland later today.
5. #CHEMOTHERAPY: Dublin-based scientists have developed a new technique which could help doctors identify cancer patients who won’t respond to chemotherapy. The breakthrough, made by researchers from the RSCI and Beaumont Hospital, may help to identify patients whose bowel cancer will not be helped by undergoing chemotherapy – sparing them the trauma of having to undergo the procedure.
6. #ABORTION: Demonstrations organised by both pro-life and pro-choice groups are due to take place in Dublin today. A significant pro-life ‘vigil for life’ is due on Merrion Square at 4:30pm, while pro-choice groups are holding a silent counter-protest at the same time and venue.
7. #NORTHERN IRELAND: The Irish news reports that loyalist paramilitary groups have said they will be present on the streets in Belfast today in an effort to stop the latest protests over the flying of the British flag from turning violent. Last night offered a respite for Belfast, with the harsh weather meaning only limited protests over the decision to end the all-year flying of the flag over the city hall.
8. #LABOUR PAINS: Labour’s national executive meets for the first time today since its chairman Colm Keaveney was booted from the parliamentary party. As party chairman, Keaveney chairs executive meetings – irrespective of whether he is still considered a ‘Labour TD’. It’s now thought that party leader Eamon Gilmore has abandoned plans to try and have Keaveney booted from the position.
9. #WHOOPS: A sharp-eyed Canadian botanical expert has claimed the country has put the wrong kind of maple leaf on its new banknotes. Sean Blaney from the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Center says the new $20 notes have been designed with the Norwegian maple leaf and not the proper Canadian grand sugar maple which appears on the country’s national flag.
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Can we not do away with these Ratings Agencies??
Agree with you Jason. They always seem to pounce with a downgrade just as it seems countries are reaching a solution to some of the financial problems. As European leaders seem to finally getting their heads in gear to sort out the euro S&P through this in. Who are they? Who owns or controls them. Is there a Mr or Ms Standard. (lord knows we are all Mr &Ms Poors at the moment!)
This downgrade has been due for a LONG time.
The latest chapter in Ireland’s history, we’ve had the vikings, Normans, English, catholic church and now it’s time for the banks.
They’re making money by playing the markets like this. They should be disbanded
Yeah but who rates the rating agencies eh??
The coastguard?
As far as I’m aware, the ratings agencies are funded by the stock exchanges. The bigger problem is these agencies were asleep at the wheel in the run up to the financial crisis in 2008 and actively contributed to these problems. They’re overcompensating now.
Standard and poors , Moody’s , the markets , Moore McDowell , the troika … Go and find a hole and throw yourselves into it and let us go back to our half normal life before youse gobshites came along and rated us.
The agencies are owned by public companies and earn their revenues from bond issuers asking to be rated. If we weren’t rated, many pension fund rules would prohibit them from investing in our debt.
The rating agencies were absolutely shocking in the run up to the sub prime crisis, but as for this recent action, they’re just saying what everyone else knows – that banks aren’t as safe as they used to be and government support is no longer guaranteed. They’re just doing their jobs.
have your say