The Briefing - Your Wednesday morning news catch up

Welcome to your Wednesday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Wed, 04 Jun, 2014 - 01:00

Peter O’Dwyer

BRIEFING TOP STORY

NOONAN TO STAY AS MINISTER DESPITE CANCER

Michael Noonan has signalled he intends to stay on as finance minister after revealing he had a cancerous lump removed from his shoulder last week.

IRISH NEWS

€75m HACKERS SET TO STRIKE IN TWO WEEKS

Homes and businesses have been warned they have just two weeks to secure personal and vital business information on their computers before a gang of international cybercriminals begins another campaign of hacking which has so far netted them €75m.

CHURCH FACING FRESH QUESTIONS AFTER DISCOVERY OF SEPTIC TANK GRAVE FOR 796 CHILDREN

The Catholic Church is facing fresh accusations of child neglect after a researcher found records for 796 youngsters believed to be buried in a mass grave beside a former orphanage for the children of unwed mothers.

WORLD NEWS

MAN KILLED, 13 HURT, IN LONDON BUS CRASH

A man has died and 13 people were injured when a car collided with a night bus.

12-YEAR OLD GIRLS STAB PAL 19 TIMES IN WOODS

Prosecutors say two 12-year-old Wisconsin girls almost stabbed their 12-year-old friend to death in the woods to please a mythological creature they learned about online.

SPORT

O'DRISCOLL RELIVED AT FINISHING IN ONE PIECE

Brian O’Driscoll last night described his "relief" at avoiding serious injury in his last game as a professional rugby as he began life after retirement with his first stint on air as part of Newstalk’s ‘Off the Ball’ team.

CONNACHT CAPTAIN CLARKE RETIRES AFTER SUFFERING 10TH CONCUSSION IN 22 MONTHS

Connacht captain Craig Clarke has been forced to retire from injury after suffering a string of concussions over a prolonged period.

BUSINESS

PLANT EXPANSION TO CREATE 175 JOBS

AbbVie is to manufacture one of the world’s newest blockbuster drugs following an €85m expansion at its plant in Sligo.

VIEWPOINTS

REACHING FOR A FEMALE FUTURE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Something needs to be done to increase female representation in the science, technology, engineering, and maths sectors, and McAfee is to the forefront, writes Claire O’Sullivan.

SHOWBIZ

RACHEL STEVENS VOTED 'SEXIEST WOMAN OF ALL TIME

Rachel Stevens has been voted the sexiest woman of all time by readers of FHM magazine, beating the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Brook and Jennifer Aniston.

TOP FEATURES

A NEW KENNEDY ENTERS THE WORLD OF AMERICAN POLITICS

His great uncle was JFK and his grandfather was the former US Attorney General but Congressman Joseph Patrick III is relying on more than just his name to put emigrant issues on the map. He talks to Robert Mulhern.