Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The 5 at 5 5 minutes, 5 stories, 5 o’clock.

Every afternoon, TheJournal.ie brings you 5 things you really need to know by 5pm.

1. #NO SURRENDER: The government remains defiant on all fronts today, rejecting calls from the opposition to resign, while again holding firm on Ireland’s 12.5% corporation tax rate.

Opening Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 this morning, Brian Cowen said government talks with the EU and IMF were “constructive”, and rejected Labour calls for the government to step down, saying it still had a job to do in finalising the four-year budget package and in passing next month’s Budget.

Fine Gael, meanwhile, will put a motion before the Dáil next week in an attempt to safeguard the rate.

2. #GOOD NEWS: The economy seems to be looking up, however. New stats from the Central Statistics Office show that Ireland’s trade surplus grew in September, on the back of an increase in the volume of exports.

The trade surplus – the amount by which Irish exports exceeded imports – reached €3.91 billion for the month of September, up from €3.8 billion in August. Perhaps unusually, though, Ireland’s third largest export partner is… Belgium, to which we sent €8.66bn of exports in the first eight months of the year.

3. #BAD NEWS: Of course, for every yin, there is a yang. AIB announced today that it had seen €13bn taken out of its deposit book so far this year, with depositors evidently not believing that the government bank guarantee was enough to ensure the safety of their cash.

When combined with the news last week that Bank of Ireland had seen €10bn in deposits taken off its books in the third quarter alone, the gravity of the liquidity problems facing the Irish banks – as the IMF talks continue – is underlined.

4. #NEW ZEALAND: 27 coal miners are missing after an overnight explosion at a mine on New Zealand’s South Island.

Staff at the Pike River mine are understood to be trapped underground, but time is running out to save them: the blast appears to have knocked out the ventilation at the mine, meaning that not only is the air supply limited, but any drilling to free the trapped men could ignite trapped gas and cause another blast.

5. #THAILAND: Finally this week, police in Thailand have uncovered the remains of more than 2,000 foetuses in a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, thought to be from illegal abortions carried out in the country.

Two temple workers and a woman suspected of collecting the foetuses from illegal abortion clinics have been arrested. The remains were found after temple workers reported a foul smell shortly after the temple’s furnace broke down.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joanna
    Favourite Joanna
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:58 PM

    “Anti-drunkenness serum”. Seems legit.

    157
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Murphy
    Favourite Thomas Murphy
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 7:26 PM

    Where can I get some?

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Favourite Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:00 PM

    The wives did it

    95
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Lonergan
    Favourite Niall Lonergan
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:04 PM

    Nothing to be concerned about here. I’m sure the fatality of “anti-drunkness” serum is incredibly low…

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Mc Manus
    Favourite Paul Mc Manus
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:54 PM

    Ah the good ole Asian natural cures.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SickOfCorruption
    Favourite SickOfCorruption
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:27 PM

    Once I went looking for a doctor in phnom Penn. Quacks, repeat quacks, chose to fly out instead of taking any of the medication offered!

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rasputin
    Favourite Rasputin
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 4:50 PM

    There’s always the Calmette but only if you fancy having Tiger Balm applied to something like a broken leg. Most of the forgein doctors “practicing” in Cambo have been struck off back home. You could have chanced the Royal Ankor but as you were probably a tourist you probably did the right thing in getting out. The secret to getting “good” medical attention there is to track down one of the doctors from Doctors without Borders, make a donation to whatever project they’re involved in, get a diagnosis and buy whatever you need from the chemist. Only works for ‘minor’ things like dengue, malaria or parasites though.Id hate to get the likes of acute appendicitis or anything involving emergency surgery there and not have evac insurance….

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoin Fleming
    Favourite Eoin Fleming
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 3:58 PM

    Must have been some cocktail!

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Kavanagh
    Favourite Paddy Kavanagh
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 7:28 PM

    feckin water!!

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Delaney
    Favourite James Delaney
    Report
    Jan 5th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Irish Water perhaps – very expensive water !

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Henry
    Favourite Tony Henry
    Report
    Jan 4th 2016, 5:30 PM

    Nothing unusual here

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds