EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know with your morning coffee.
1.#CRIMEA: US President Barack Obama has said that he is ‘deeply concerned’ about reports of Russian military activity in Ukraine. Pentagon officials said that they were not, however, pursuing a military response.
2.#FINE GAEL: The Fine Gael Ard Fheis will continue today in Dublin, with the issues of cannabis and infrastructure up for discussion, as well as a session on transparency and accountability, hosted by Alan Shatter.
3.#MEMORIAL: The National Women’s Council has called on the government to hand over compensation to women who were victims of abuse in Magdalene laundries. The call comes ahead of a memorial service that is due to be held in Wexford tomorrow for women who were incarcerated in The Good Shepherd Magdalene Laundry, St. Mary’s in New Ross.
4.#DUNNE DEAL: A number of today’s newspapers report that bankrupt developer Sean Dunne gave his wife Gayle Killilea €60 million to buy their Shrewsbury Road home in 2005. Dunne, who has relocated to Connecticut, told a US bankruptcy hearing that he made the payment following a post-nuptial agreement the pair entered into. This was the fourth meeting Dunne has had with his creditors over his €691 million debts.
5.#SEANAD: The government this week lost a vote in the Seanad on the abolishment of upward-only rent reviews. That is a situation that could be repeated in the coming months, and here’s why.
6.#VENEZUELA: At least 41 people, including foreign reporters, were arrested in Caracas late last night as security forces battled protesters angry at the policies of Venezuela’s leftist government. National Guard security forces blasted the student-led demonstrators with high-pressure water and fired tear gas canisters into the crowds.
7.#BREASTFEEDING: New research has shown that babies who are breastfed are smarter, but it is not really to do with breast milk. Sociologists at Brigham Young University claim that breastfeeding mothers tend to have two key parenting skills that are more highly attuned.
8.#WARRANT: An arrest warrant has been issued for the former Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer Keith Gillespie. Gillespie failed to appear at Newtownards Magistrates Court yesterday.
9.#FIGHT: Ireland picked a song to represent the nation at Eurovision in May. But the real headlines were grabbed by Louis Walsh, Linda Martin and Aslan guitarist Billy McGuinness, who had a good old ding-dong during the show.
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