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The 9 at 9 Good morning! Here are nine things to know before you start your day…

EACH DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you should know with your morning cup of coffee.

1. #MADIBA: South African legend Nelson Mandela remains in a critical condition in hospital this morning following confirmation that his health deteriorated over the weekend. Current President Jacob Zuma has called on the country to pray for the 94-year-old. It is 18 years to the day since the anti-apartheid hero wore a Spingbok jersey at Ellis Park to hand the Rugby World Cup to Francois Pienaar, creating a historic and unprecedented moment in South Africa’s race struggle.

2. #LIES AND VIDEOTAPES: The Irish Independent has got hold of a number of tape recordings from inside Anglo Irish Bank in the days leading up to the bank bailout, revealing how the bank’s top managers knew about the true extent of losses at the institution but misled the government with smaller figures.

A sample from a telephone conversation between two senior officials:

If they saw the enormity of it up front, they might decide they have a choice. You know what I mean? They might say the cost to the taxpayer is too high…if it doesn’t look too big at the outset…if it doesn’t look big, big enough to be important, but not too big that it kind of spoils everything, then, then I think you can have a chance. So I think it can creep up.

The transcripts can be found on the Irish Independent’s website.

3. #WHERE’S EDDIE? The US has said it expects Russia to hand over Edward Snowden, the man responsible for this month’s massive intelligence leaks. The 30-year-old, who is wanted on espionage charges, is due to leave Moscow today and is bound for Ecuador, via Cuba.

4. #ROADS: A man in his 20s has died from injuries sustained in a two-car collision in Ballybofey, Donegal in the early hours of this morning. The other four occupants of the vehicles are all recovering in hospital.

5. #ABORTION: Another Fine Gael member has come out against the government’s proposed abortion legislation. Kerry Senator Tom Sheahan has told the Irish Times he would quit the party before voting for the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.

Meanwhile, the newspaper spoke to the parents of Savita Halappanavar who believe the law does not go far enough as it fails to protect the health of a woman. They also called the report into their daughter’s death ‘a whitewash’.

6. #DEAL: Mobile phone operator Three has bought O2′s Irish operation from Telefonica for about €850 million, it has been announced this morning.

7. #TRANSPORT: Dublin city centre dwellers and workers should prepare themselves for continuous works in the coming months as the first phase of the Luas Cross City construction line work kicks off today.

8. #DUNBLANE: Ahead of the first serve at Wimbledon today, Andy Murray gave an emotional interview to BBC One in which he recalled the day his home town of Dunblane was terrorised by a shooting at his primary school. On 13 March 1996, Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and one teacher at the school the tennis star attended.

9. #THE INJURED LIST: Rugby fans woke up to bad news this morning as Paul O’Connell has been ruled out of what remains of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia. He suffered a broken arm during Saturday’s first test match.

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17 Comments
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    Mute jerry slattery
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:03 AM

    Yes my usual park walk out the Lee fields here in cork has turned into grafton st on Christmas eve which is making me much more inventive and discovering new places near by

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:43 AM

    @jerry slattery: always good to head off the beaten path. Enjoy the quiet

    67
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    Mute Guill Ire
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    Mar 18th 2020, 12:41 PM

    @jerry slattery: Going by reports yesterday you should probably try Grafton Street.

    47
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    Mute Sam Harms
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:18 AM

    One good thing to come from this is that people are getting outdoors a lot more. They just need to learn to keep their distance and not go in large groups. Glendalough was full of groups of people with young kids the other day!

    130
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    Mute Ciarán Seosamh
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:22 AM

    People are not supposed to be outdoors.

    32
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    Mute frank griffin
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:27 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: thousands in bray yesterday??

    24
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:27 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: not wholly true. Getting out and exercising is important and encouraged as long as distancing is in place

    171
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    Mute Sam Harms
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:34 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: nobody said they can’t do outdoors. In fact people are encouraged to go out and get fresh air.

    129
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    Mute james dimaggio
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:46 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: That rule hasn’t come into play yet. Just watch the Burglars union kick up murder when it eventually does!!

    37
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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:50 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: who said that ?? We are not in a lockdown. We are actually been encouraged to get out for a walk, cycle etc. Just do it sensibly.

    75
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    Mute Ciarán Seosamh
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:58 AM

    @Sam Harms: the only way to stop it spreading is to take the hardline approach, like the Chinese, sacrifice now for the future.

    9
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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:04 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: nobody said that. Dr Holohan specifically said the other day that getting out was good. We’re supposed to be limiting social interactions.

    47
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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:05 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: also it doesn’t spread as effectively outdoors.

    28
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    Mute Auntie
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:37 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: can’t think of a better place to isolate than up on a mountain. Being outdoors and observing the 2m gap is fine.

    31
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    Mute Ciaran
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:40 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: You stay in so and turn off the wifi while you’re at it.

    30
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:47 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: massive fail there mister!!

    17
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    Mute Joe
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:51 AM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: yes they are. Absolutely nothing wrong with being outdoors! If you go for a walk in the mountains with your family there is nothing wrong with that so long as you don’t spend periods of time close to other people. Educate yourself!

    26
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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Mar 18th 2020, 12:21 PM

    @Ciarán Seosamh: Another one who thinks the experts are wrong and he is right. Advice to stay indoors may well come if the numbers of cases starts to climb to quickly but that time isn’t here yet. Remember, the plan isn’t to have zero spread, its to keep the spread to numbers manageable for the health services over time and protect the most vunerable. We are taking pretty much the same approach as the UK, with the glaring difference being that the UK is trying to get to the ‘manageable’ number much more quickly. We are taking the long, cautious route while the UK are hoping to get it done more quickly. If it works for the UK they will be getting back to normality possibly months before us. If they get it wrong its going to be an absolute disaster for them. Imagine what’s happening in the Lombardy region of Italy and transfer that to the entire UK. Carnage !!

    8
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Mar 18th 2020, 11:05 PM

    @Sam Harms: Read the article please before making such comments

    1
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    Mute Larry Whack
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:37 AM

    Have pretty much stayed home since last Thursday and have kept a very low profile. Decided to get the wee man out for a stroll yesterday at the local park and was very disheartened with what i saw. Place was packed with people standing around in groups, hugging hello and goodbye. Teenagers playing football. Got home and checked in with my parents in the west. My mother told the neighbour’s grown son was down from Dublin for the few days. Maddening.

    112
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    Mute Ciaran
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:42 AM

    @Larry Whack: Fair enough if you want to go for a stroll but don’t be taking out the wee man or you’ll get done for exposing yourself.

    81
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:54 AM

    @Ciaran: He might not get done due to lack of evidence :-)

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    Mute Larry Whack
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    Mar 18th 2020, 11:00 AM

    @Ciaran: there’s a bad enough dose going around without that buck making an appearance.

    14
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:18 AM

    I went for a run yesterday along the river bank. Fairly empty until I got to a cafe by the riverbank in a scenic location – it was open and the tables outside were packed with people.

    Needless to say I didn’t go in to see what it was like inside!

    90
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    Mute Teddy
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:20 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: name and shame!!!

    73
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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:44 AM

    @Teddy: businesses are allowed to be open.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Mar 18th 2020, 9:56 AM

    @Teddy: Small business is struggling so I don’t think naming and shaming would do any good. Besides, I was to do that, should I not name and shame all the customers as well – after all, they are the ones sitting on top of each other.

    Personal responsibility is just as important as business responsibility

    55
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    Mute Barry
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:08 AM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: indeed they are, but they also have a responsibility to public safety.

    The line businesses are allowed to be open would have been idiotic to the pubs packed with people. So why should other business get a free card when they do the same?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    Mar 18th 2020, 11:30 AM

    @Barry: because the pubs are in the unique position where their product must be consumed on site.

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    Mute Barry
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    Mar 18th 2020, 12:44 PM

    @Dave O’Keeffe: a beer garden isn’t much different to a bench outside, yet pubs were closed.

    Resturants, shops and cafe’s who allow crowding should be shut. end of.

    3
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    Mute Barry
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:07 AM

    It’s times like this I’m glad I run a lot on my own, I ran over 20miles on Sunday and only encountered people just near my house at the very end.

    22
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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Mar 18th 2020, 11:30 AM

    Just walking my dogs and keeping away from people. Mother with 3 kids running around. One child comes running towards me to pet the dogs. Tell him to stop approaching me but he keeps coming so I have to raise my voice to tell him stop. Then a stranger walks by and rubs the kid and says don’t mind him while tussling his hair. The kids then are cycling around and meet up with another group of kids out on their own. People are idiots

    48
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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:03 AM

    Arrest and intern anyone within two metres of anyone else. We could get the Saudi Islamic police on the job. They have years of experience. :D

    17
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:52 AM

    @Adam Conroy: You do realise that means arresting everyone. I still prefer the sniper approach as they can tell who broke the distancing advice :-)

    3
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    Mute Em Gee
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    Mar 18th 2020, 1:03 PM

    There is a wooded area near me where I have walked the dog for years. It was always relatively quiet with the busiest time at weekends with families. Even so you could do a loop without meeting anyone up until a few days ago. It’s good that people are getting out and taking more exercise but a brisk walk around the loop was impossible yesterday because there were so many people out. Social distancing was out of the question.

    7
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    Mute Quiggers
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    Mar 18th 2020, 10:50 AM

    enjoy it while it lasts.

    7
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