The Briefing - Your Thursday morning news catch up

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

Thu, 04 Sep, 2014 - 01:00

Robert McNamara

BRIEFING TOP STORY

HOUSE HUNTERS ENDURE FIVE-DAY QUEUE FOR SALE

We thought we’d never see the likes again — queuing for days to buy a house.

IRISH NEWS

DEFENCE FORCE CADETS' WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS OVER PHONES

New members of the Defence Forces are suffering "withdrawal symptoms" for their mobile phones, miss being home and struggle with military punctuality.

4,000 PEOPLE A MONTH CUT HEALTH INSURANCE

The number of people with health insurance is set to drop below 2 million for the first time in a decade as almost 4,000 people a month abandoned their health cover between April and June.

WORLD NEWS

SCORNED FIRST LADY IN KISS-AND-TELL ON HOLLANDE

French President François Hollande’s ex-girlfriend writes in a tell-all book to be published today that months after their public breakup he was trying to win her back with flowers, dinner invitations, and barrages of text messages.

'ALIEN MUSHROOM CREATURES' FOUND

Unclassifiable mushroom-shaped alien creatures have been discovered in the ocean depths off Australia. Two species of the organisms were found that could not be placed in any existing phyla, the large families of living things including vertebrates and flowering plants.

SPORT

INTER-COUNTY SHORTFALL FORCES GAA INTO RECRUITMENT DRIVE

The GAA will undertake a recruitment drive to increase the number of inter-county hurling referees.

GILES PRESSES FOR NOBLE AMID FEARS OVER MCCARTHY 'MENTALITY'

John Giles is yet to be convinced that James McCarthy can impose himself as a commanding midfield presence for Ireland. And he believes West Ham’s Mark Noble, should he declare for the Republic, might be good enough to go straight into Martin O’Neill’s European Championship qualifying team.

BUSINESS

CALL FOR €300M INCOME TAX CUT

The Government needs only a €200m budget adjustment to reach the 3% fiscal deficit target agreed with the troika which gives it scope to introduce tax cuts and an increase in investment, according to Ibec Cork.

VIEWPOINTS

BUDGET SPIN AND THE ART OF EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT

Figures from both Coalition parties have called for Budget 2015 to give back something to the people, then the big guns blasted those hopes. But it’s all just spin, writes Michael Clifford.

EXAM VIRAL

33 PICTURES TO HELP US SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEYONCE

Happy Birthday Beyonce – or should that be Happy B’Day? Yes Queen B, now 33, is celebrating her special day today, September 4. We look back at her career…

SHOWBIZ

RIVERS RELEASED FROM INTENSIVE CARE, STILL ON LIFE SUPPORT

The 81-year-old comedienne, who was placed in a medically-induced coma after she went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing during minor throat surgery last Thursday, has been transferred to a private room at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, but is still on life support.

TOP FEATURES

FILM WRITTEN AND SHOT IN IRELAND WOWING HOLLYWOOD

IN Hollywood it would have cost millions of dollars and taken months to shoot, but the burning passion of two film-makers and the support of a community created a powerful period drama in three weeks — and on a shoestring budget.