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, 01 Oct, 2014 - 01:00

Robert McNamara

BRIEFING TOP STORY

NON-REGISTRATION TARIFF LESS THAN SOME WATER BILLS

Many families would be better off paying Irish Water’s penalty fee for failing to register with the company than paying the normal charges for registered customers.

IRISH NEWS

TAOISEACH BLAMES MCNULTY FURORE ON FG STAFF

The Taoiseach has blown open a bitter row in his party by blaming unnamed officials for the botched handling of Fine Gael’s nomination for the Seanad by-election.

MARRIAGE AGE JUMPS NINE YEARS SINCE 1977

Bride and grooms are now almost nine years older getting married than they were 35 years ago, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office.

WORLD NEWS

EU COMMISSIONER UNDER FIRE OVER 'STUPID' CELEB NUDES

Incoming EU Digital Commissioner Guenther Oettinger was roundly ridiculed after he blamed "stupid" celebrities for having their private nude pictures hacked and spread online.

FIRST CASE OF EBOLA IN US CONFIRMED IN IN DALLAS HOSPITAL

A patient in a hospital in Dallas, Texas, has been confirmed to have the deadly ebola virus, a local news outlet reported last night.

SPORT

GALVIN ATTACKER SET TO FACE TWO-YEAR BAN

Kilmoyley vice-chairman Paddy O’Sullivan has been hit with a proposed two-year ban arising from his attack of Paul Galvin in Sunday’s Kerry hurling final.

INSPIRED PSG GIVE BARCA COACH ENRIQUE FIRST TASTE OF DEFEAT

Paris St-Germain shrugged off the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to inflict a first defeat on Barcelona under their new coach Luis Enrique, with a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Parc des Princes last night.

BUSINESS

CULLEN DROPS LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST ULSTER BANK RECEIVERS

Bill Cullen has dropped all legal challenges that he had mounted in the Commercial Court against the approach taken by Ulster Bank-appointed receivers in selling assets of his companies.

VIEWPOINTS

THERE SHOULD BE NO IMPLUSE BY STATE TO SUFFOCATE ARTISTIC FREEDOM

"ARTS Minister Heather Humphreys is reputationally dead-on-arrival. Her demise is less about dastardly deeds than the damning belief she was led by the nose. That impression was confirmed by her near incoherence when questioned by the media and her refusal to answer questions since. There is nothing so debilitating for a minister as a fool’s pardon", writes Gerard Howllin.

EXAMVIRAL

VIDEO: DANCING BATMAN WANTS YOU TO BUY TYRES IN KERRY

This is the strangest video we’ve seen in a long time.

Picture this: Tyres. Kerry. An energetically thrusting Batman. Something's not quite right about that scene.

SHOWBIZ