Good morning! Here are nine things you should know as you start your day…
1. #JILL MEAGHER A private funeral has taken place in Melbourne for Jill Meagher. Her family and close friends attended the funeral, and 29 white doves were released at the service. Jill’s husband Tom Meagher paid tribute to his late wife, saying “Goodbye my beautiful, funny girl. I’ll love you forever”. A memorial mass is to be held in her home town of Drogheda at 7pm this evening.
2. #APRIL JONES The search for missing Welsh five-year-old April Jones has now entered its fifth day. Detectives have until 5pm to question suspect Mark Bridger, before they have to charge or release him. They can apply for a further warrant of detention. Searches continue in the Machnynlleth area, including in the River Dyfi. Dr Joe Sullivan, a leading forensic psychologist, has been drafted in to help police.
3. #COURTS A man who sexually abused two adult nieces was given a three-year suspended sentence in court yesterday, with the judge saying the publishing of Aidan Farrington of Iona Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin 9′s name was suitable punishment, the Examiner reports. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said that suspending the sentence sends out a “very mixed message”.
4. #EMERGENCY WORKERS In the Dáil today, Fianna Fáil will propose a minimum jail term of five years for anyone convicted of assaulting or threatening the life of an emergency worker on duty. The Assaults on Emergency Workers Bill 2012 will be tabled in the Dáil for the debate, which gets underway at 10.30am.
5. #FISH Locals gathered at Kilmore Quay in Co Wexford yesterday to collect the free monkfish that had been left by two fishermen in defiance of EU quota rules, which say that over-quota fish must be thrown back into the sea. The Irish Times says that reports from Fisheries Authority officers are being prepared on the issue for the Director of Public Prosecution.
6. #EL PRESIDENTE President Michael D Higgins will spend the second day of his visit to Chile meeting with some of the country’s political leaders, including its president. He will be honoured at the meeting as a distinguished guest of the city of Santiago, and later that night will be guest of honour at an Irish community reception.
7. #SYRIA The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a statement condemning “in the strongest terms” Syria’s shelling of a Turkish town that killed five women and children. The body said the incident “highlighted the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbors and on regional peace and stability” and demanded an immediate end to such violations of international law, says AP.
8. #PRIMARY CARE Health Minister James Reilly was ordered by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to assure Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore face-to-face that he wasn’t involved in selecting a primary care centre site that has been the subject of recent controversy, the Irish Independent reports. The paper says they met before Minister Reilly was questioned at the Dáil yesterday on the issue.
9. #BEATLES The Beatles’ first hit, Love Me Do, turns 50 today. Its success marked the beginning of ‘Beatlemania’, as the fab four changed the face of popular music as the world knew it. Here they are on video performing the track back in the day.
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