Your Wednesday morning news round-up

Wed, 24 Jun, 2015 - 01:00

TOP STORIES

Berkeley balcony should have held two tonnes, city says

A week after the balcony collapse that killed six students and injured seven others, the City of Berkeley has released an interim report noting severe dry rot in the balcony's wooden supports.

Eimear Walsh's funeral took place in Dublin yesterday.

Dublin holds funerals for two more Berkeley victims

Friends and family of two more victims of the Berkeley balcony collapse will gather to remember them today in Dublin.

Berkeley tragedy: Eoghan’s tale: The journey doesn’t end here

The natural order of things was turned on its head yesterday when family and friends came to bury Eoghan Culligan.

IRELAND

Banks fail to comply with mortgage arrears guidelines

A new report shows some banks have pushed on with legal action against struggling homeowners, even after they have agreed a repayment schedule.

MOST READ: Same-sex spouses denied pension equality

Long-serving current and former civil servants who have entered civil partnerships or who plan to get married to their same-sex partner have been refused the right to upgrade their single person’s pension to a spouse and children pension.

SPORT

Liverpool sign Hoffenheim's Firmino

Liverpool have signed Hoffenheim forward Roberto Firmino subject to a medical, the Premier League club have announced.

MOST READ: Mike Quirke: I don’t know Thomas Connolly, but this much I do know...

Back in early part of summer 2007, I was suffering with a persistent head cold that I just couldn’t shake.

WORLD

Scotland plans to reduce funding to the queen

Scotland could cut its contribution to the British monarchy by more than £1 million if plans for further devolution get the go-ahead, it has been claimed.

Neanderthal DNA discovery

DNA from a Romanian who lived in a prehistoric “dark age”, when early modern humans and Neanderthals were neighbours, is strong evidence that the two groups interbred in Europe.

ANALYSIS

A new beginning for Greece and Europe

Greece has choices to make to resolve its crippling debt problems but the entire eurozone also needs fiscal and structural co-ordination if it is to prosper, writes Dennis Snower

LIFESTYLE

Six facts you didn’t know about ice cream

We can’t get enough of it, but, once upon a time, ice cream was only for the rich, learned Robert Hume when he looked into the history of the frozen treat

EXAMVIRAL

Dublin GAA fans plan tribute after Berkeley and Harris tragedies

Dublin GAA fans the Hill 16 Army are planning a moving tribute to the victims the Berkeley tragedy and brothers Alan and Steve Harris.

MOST READ: 11 scary ways our clothes, bags and shoes are putting our health at risk

Health experts are now warning us against wearing skinny jeans after reports emerged of a 35-year-old woman collapsing and spending four days in hospital because she was wearing a pair the day before.

TECHNOW

Irish people have many #smartphones and few wearables according to new figures http://t.co/0q0jktBHGG (PSR) #TechNews pic.twitter.com/RzuIKM7vFg
— Irish Examiner Lifestyle (@IELifestyle_) June 23, 2015

MOST READ: Irish people have many smartphones and few wearables according to new figures

New figures from Google reveal a lot about the digital practises of people from all over the world, including Ireland

BUSINESS

Budget proposals ‘inappropriate’, says think tank

The equal split approach, between spending increases and tax reductions, being proposed for October’s budget has been rejected as “inappropriate”, given the current levels of both revenue and spending.

MOST READ: Ambitious start-ups a vital part of economy

Challenger companies are businesses that disrupt existing markets and dare to compete with much larger, incumbent organisations.

SHOWBIZ