The 9 at 9: Friday

The 9 at 9 The weekend is here and this is the news.

EVERY MORNING,TheJournal.ie brings you the stories you need to know as you wake up.

1. #ELECTION 2016: The election campaign moved up a gear last night as the first televised debate took place last night. Here’s what you need to know.

2. #THESE ARE THE FACTS: TheJournal.ie has checked the claims made in the debate. Who told the truth? And who told porkies?

3. #SYRIA: World leaders have agreed a ceasefire in Syria.

4. #THREATS: The head of the National Union of Journalists has hit out after threats were made against journalists covering Dublin’s gangland.

5. #LUAS: The Luas strike enters its second day today.

6. #SENTENCE: Prominent republican Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy is to be sentenced today in connection with tax offences.

7. #DRUMM: Former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm has waived his right to contest his extradition to Ireland. The Irish Daily Mail, however, says that his family will remain in the US.

8. #WEATHER: There will be no respite from the cold weather for the weekend.

9. #WE’RE ALL AFRICANS: Meryl Streep has caused controversy after saying “we’re all Africans, really” in an interview.