Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

GOOD MORNING

The 9 at 9 Nine things you need to know this morning…

EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you should know with your morning cup of coffee.

1. #BOND REPAYMENT Around $1billion USD or €730 million of an unsecured Anglo Irish Bank bond is to be repaid today. The government argues that the repayment is necessary under the terms of the EU/IMF bailout as does the bank itself, now known as the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, but opposition TDs including independent Stephen Donnelly argue that it shouldn’t be repaid.

2. #SHOWDOWN Following his dramatic call for a referendum on his country’s proposed second bailout, the Greek Prime Minister George Papendreou is to meet with French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel in Cannes today ahead of the G20 summit tomorrow. Papandreou will be bolstered by the support of his cabinet but Eurozone leaders are unlikely to be pleased with his referendum pledge.

3. #ACCOUNTING FAIL As the Dáil Public Accounts Committee pledges to investigate the accounting error which turned up €3.6 billion in our coffers yesterday it turns out Ireland is not the only country with missing money issues. Germany has pledged to investigate a massive €55.5 billion error at a nationalised bank which has helpfully lowered the country’s overall debt, AP reports.

4. #ANGLO The former finance director of Anglo Irish Bank, Willie McAteer, has been released without charge after he was arrested yesterday morning. It was the second time McAteer had been arrested in connection with the investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the bank.

5. #FINES The government is examining legislation which would see the State being able to collect any court imposed fines directly from social welfare payments and salaries. The Irish Times reports that if such laws were imposed, it would virtually end the process of people being sent to prison for not paying fines.

6. #WIKILEAKS Julian Assange, the founder of the whistle-blowing organisation Wikileaks, will discover whether he is to be extradited to Sweden to faces charges of rape and sexual assault at the High Court in London today. Assange denies the charges which he claims are politically motivated.

7.  #PERKS Staff at Google’s HQ in Dublin could be set to benefit from more employee perks which the company is renowned for. The Irish Times reports that the internet search giant is applying for permission to build a pool and gym on-site at its headquarters on Barrow Street, which it bought earlier this year.

8. #PESSIMISM Rich countries are more pessimistic in their economic outlooks than developing countries where people are more upbeat according to a BBC World Service Survey. While the survey of more than 25,000 people in 25 countries found those in Japan, France and Britain were gloomy, in the Nigeria, for example, 70 per cent of people expected good times ahead.

9. #CELEBRITY DADS Finally, it’s a tale of two fathers this morning, one who is and one who isn’t. Hugh Grant has become the father of a baby girl following a brief affair, the Telegraph reports. Meanwhile, poor Justin Bieber is having to deal with a 20-year-old woman who says the mega pop sensation is the father of her three-month-old baby boy, according to Star magazine. Bieber’s representatives insist this is not the case.

Your Voice
Readers Comments
7
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.