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, 15 Oct, 2014 - 01:00

Denise O’Donoghue

BRIEFING TOP STORY

VITAL SIGNS ARE GOOD BUT RECOVERY WILL TAKE TIME

KERRY Group’s new research facility is already having an impact on the visual landscape around Naas, from the neat blue signs along the M7 motorway announcing its arrival to the tall cranes toiling away on its construction.

IRISH NEWS

NOONAN DENIES BUDGET FRAMED FOR ELECTION

The next three budgets will be focused on the ‘squeezed middle’ — families earning between €33,000 and €70,000 — if Fine Gael and Labour get returned to office at the next general election.

ELDERLY MAN IN WHEELCHAIR DIES IN DUBLIN HIT-AND-RUN

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating the death of an elderly man who was knocked out of his electric wheelchair by a truck.

WORLD NEWS

ZUCKERBERG BUYS 700 ACRES ON HAWAII FOR $100M

Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg has splurged on two properties in Hawaii — thought to be worth a combined value of more than $100m.

VIDEO CLAIMS TO SHOW POLICE BEATING UP RESTRAINED PROTESTOR IN HONG KONG

Six police officers in Hong Kong have been removed from frontline duties after a video went viral which appears to show officers in plain clothes taking a pro-democracy protester into a dark corner and beating him up.

SPORT

ANOTHER MOMENT OF MAGIC IN GERMANY FOR PROUD O'NEILL

Coiste na nÓg top brass are investigating the alleged racial abuse of an U16 footballer during a Cork championship semi-final on Saturday.

PRENDERGAST RETIRES FROM INTER-COUNTY SCENE

Seamus Prendergast has called time on his inter-county career with Waterford.

BUSINESS

END OF TAX MECHANISM LAUDED

The abolition of the "double Irish" is a highlight of the 10-year tenure of European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, who said he would put it in his legacy speech. He is due to leave office in two weeks’ time.

VIEWPOINTS

YESTERDAY DIDN'T 'BUDGET' FOR THE LOOMING PUBLIC-SECTOR PAY TALKS

THE big hoopla wasn’t the Budget yesterday, it will be the public-sector pay talks next year. Politically and fiscally, that is where the real action is.

EXAMVIRAL

ON BUDGET DAY THE GOVERNMENT IS TWEETING ABOUT ... TIES?

It’s one of the most important days of the year for the Irish government, so naturally they’re tweeting about something significant: What tie to wear?

SHOWBIZ