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The World Custard Pie Championships take place in Kent, England earlier today. Chris Radburn/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Daily Fix

The Daily Fix: Saturday

In tonight’s fix: Bruton rules out presidential bid; the other Bruton comes under fire; Kenny gives Obama some Irish tips; Amnesty turns 50; and Manchester United players try their hand at acting…

EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you a round up of all the day’s main news as well as the bits and pieces you may have missed.

  • Former Taoiseach John Bruton has ruled himself out of the running to become the next president, exiting a crowded field with Fine Gael now looking to other candidates who have declared an interest including Mairead McGuinness, Sean Kelly and Pat Cox. Who would you vote for?
  • It has been revealed that Gardaí have been paid almost €1 billion in allowances since 2007. Figures vary from €14,353 per year as an allowance to officers stationed at the headquarters of Interpol to the annual allowance of €2.77 paid to officers for bicycle transport.
  • The Director of Public Prosecutions has today defended the progress of the State’s inquiry into the affairs of Anglo Irish Bank citing the “unusual” circumstances of the investigation into the disgraced bank.
  • Libya, still mired in conflict, is also having to cope with the huge humanitarian impact of the conflict between rebel forces and militia loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi who have raped hundreds of women according to a new and shocking account from The Associated Press.
  • Two NATO troops are among six people who have died after a suicide bombing in Afghanistan today which also killed a well-known local police commander.
  • The Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton continues to find few friends amongst Labour party backbenchers who have been critical of the way in which he is approaching changes to wage agreements. Although his Taoiseach insists they’re all “singing off the same hymn sheet.”
  • In Malta, voters are going to the polls to decide whether parliament should pass a new law allowing divorce in the country for the first time, but the idea is opposed by Malta’s Prime Minister.
  • Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani was the surprise winner of a poll asking people to decide who they would like to be the Republican nominee to face Barack Obama in next year’s US presidential election. It’s already a pretty crowded field of candidates seeking the nomination.
  • Speaking of Obama, he had a mighty time in Ireland – pints, the craic, and the cúpla focal – partly thanks to a little help from An Taoiseach. Watch this behind the scenes video where Enda Kenny gives Obama some Irish tips and is full of praise for Michelle Obama’s…eh…handwriting.
  • Six people – including one baby – were injured in Stockholm, Sweden today after a bus went out of control down a set of steps and into a busy square during the city’s marathon.
  • Amnesty International is today celebrating turning 50. The biggest human rights organisation in the world had humble beginnings in London 50 years ago but today Kings of Leon were expected to celebrate the birthday on stage at Slane.
  • Ireland’s degrading prison system is a shameful vision of the country’s past. So says author and journalist Abigail Rieley who points out that Irish rates of recidivism run at about 40 per cent in a column for this website.
  • Finally, tonight’s Champions League final is the being widely hailed as the biggest game on earth. You can follow live coverage here as Manchester United look to win a fourth Champions League, putting them one behind Liverpool who have won an English record five European Cups. They face Barcelona at Wembley tonight and one hopes their football skills are a tad better than their acting talents: