EVERY MORNING, THEJOURNAL.IE brings you nine things you need to know with your morning cup of coffee.
1. #SOUTH AFRICA: Paralympic champion and Olympian Oscar Pistorius has reportedly shot and killed his girlfriend in a case of mistaken identity in Pretoria. The 26-year-old was arrested and is due to appear in court later today. Early unconfirmed reports suggest that Reeva Steenkamp was trying to deliver a Valentine’s Day surprise when the athlete mistook her for an intruder.
2. #RECESSION: Austerity is not working. That is according to a new study – to be published today – which focuses on the economic crisis in the five worst-hit European countries, including Ireland and Greece.
3. #MURDER: This morning’s papers report a possible ‘trial blunder’ that could see convicted killer Joe O’Reilly walk free. Lawyers for the 40-year-old claim prosecution documents about the murder of Rachel O’Reilly were left in the jury room during his 2007 trial.
4. #HORSEMEAT: Minister Simon Coveney believes a number of people have been selling horsemeat as beef across Europe – and not just one rogue trader. He was speaking to Morning Ireland after the EU agreed that countries should carry out DNA tests on processed beef for traces of equine DNA.
5. #MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Kerry County Council is to vote on a motion backing legislation to allow for same-sex marriage next week. Labour Councillor Gillian Wharton-Slattery, who tabled the motion, is “cautiously optimistic” about it being carried.
6. #PROPERTY TAX: Under rules for the new property tax, a seller could face fines of up to €500 if the correct value of the property is not disclosed to the buyer.
7. #MAGDALENES: Minister Alan Shatter has indicated that the Government will offer a full apology to the victims of the Magdalene Laundries system. Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin told TheJournal.ie he feels a “certain degree of guilt” that the survivors were not included in the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme when he was a Cabinet minister.
8. #DOPING: GAA teams topped the list of missed drug tests among Irish sportspeople, according to new figures. However, anti-doping officials in the Irish Sports Council are not concerned because the Association has said it is serious about and committed to reducing the number.
9. #14 FEBRUARY: Like it or loathe it, there’s no getting away from today’s celebrations – even on TheJournal.ie. Gav Reilly has taken a look at who exactly we are remembering on 14 February, while TheScore.ie has created some cards for Ireland’s sports stars. On the opposite side of the fence, Dr Margaret-Anne Lawlor tells us why Valentine’s Day is a marketing dream. But don’t get too cynical, there is room for blossoming romance, even for the most cynical of you out there. Here’s the story of Lisa, Barry, their office and DailyEdge.ie.
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