Your Thursday lunchtime catch-up
TOP STORY - PARIS ATTACKS
The suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was killed in a police raid, the Paris prosecutor said. In a statement, the prosecutor’s office said that Abaaoud’s body was found in an apartment building targeted in the raid in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Wednesday.
The French military said it has destroyed 35 so-called Islamic State targets in Syria since last week’s attacks in Paris. Military spokesman Colonel Gilles Jaron said that French planes dropped about 60 bombs on six sites, and all the targets were IS command centres or training sites.
French prime minister Manuel Valls has warned that Islamic extremists might at some point use chemical or biological weapons as he urged politicians to extend a national state of emergency by three months in response to last week’s Paris attacks.
Just days after terrorist attacks in Paris killed 129 people, a Muslim man stood blindfolded in a public square in Paris beside a sign that read, ‘Do you trust me?’ The message he was sending was that not all Muslims are terrorists.
Closer to home Minister for Defence Simon Coveney says there is a possible risk this country could be attacked by Islamic extremists, but the threat level is low and will continue to be assessed.
IRELAND
The Government has to begin announcing bailouts across departments today expected to total as much as €1.6bn. The three biggest supplementary estimates, for Health, Social Protection and Environment, will not be announced for another two weeks.
The North’s First Minister Peter Robinson is to step down within weeks. The decision comes after an agreement has been reached in Northern Ireland after weeks of talks. He will also resign as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was among the first to wish him well in retirement.
The daughter of sports presenter Bill O’Herlihy has slammed robbers who stole money from his widow while she was visiting his grave.
The Irish Examiner has obtained a video which captures the moment a commuter plane was forced to abort a landing at the last moment due to high crosswinds at Cork Airport yesterday.
WORLD
The international community has strongly condemned the Kosovo opposition’s “continued use of violence to achieve political goals”. A statement from the embassies of the Quint countries – Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States – called political violence “unacceptable” and said it is damaging Kosovo’s international standing.
Police in England have made a series of arrests over the killing of police constable Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan embassy in London 31 years ago. A Libyan man is being held on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
SPORT
Peter Jackson has paid a heartfelt tribute to Jomah Lomu. On the front of toady’s Irish Examiner people have been touched by the powerful image used to remember the All-Black legend.
Colm Begley says his former AFL team-mates still can’t believe senior Gaelic footballers aren’t paid to represent their counties. After five years in Australia, the former Brisbane Lions and St Kilda player returned home to play for Laois at the end of 2009 but keeps in touch with his old colleagues.
BUSINESS
People who use tradesmen for home repairs or improvements will now be able to pay by card. The cashless payment service has been offered by OnlineTradesmen.ie which is Ireland’s largest source of qualified trade professionals.
Calls from one of the country’s leading estate agency groups for the Central Bank’s mortgage rules to be revisited are likely to fall on deaf ears after the finance minister signalled his support for the lending restrictions.
ANALYSIS
Britain didn’t mistake Ireland for the IRA - don’t confuse Islam with IS, says in her column today. She asks where would we be now if British prime ministers had conflated Irishness with terrorism.
LIFESTYLE
Doping in sport has a lengthy — and until relatively recently, altogether legal — past. Once, says , the use of stimulants was considered fair play.
VIDEO
Discrimination and prejudice against Travellers and Roma is racism, it must be named as racism and tackled as racism, President Michael D Higgins has insisted.
VIRAL
A US police chief couldn’t believe his eyes after opening a letter from a man convicted of drunk driving. The man, who was detained for the offence in the US state of Georgia last July, sent the letter to Tyrone Police Department chief Brandon Perkins so he could an officer - Sgt Jacob Collins - for arresting him on Highway 74.
If you’re looking for a creative way to inform your family you’re expecting, take some inspiration from this video.
TECHNOW
Psyonix released a trailer for the upcoming Chaos Run DLC for Rocket League, which has a very Mad Max Wasteland feel.
The Zoolander 2 trailer has been released and features some brilliant celebrity cameos along with some classic Zoolander gags.
Samsung has new technology called BRITECELL which could finally improve the awful low light photography on smartphones
SHOWBIZ
Niall Horan has caused a stir on social media after stepping out with a new facial accessory – no it’s not a piercing or tattoo but a pair of glasses.
MOST READ RIGHT NOW
The Irish Examiner has obtained a video which captures the moment a commuter plane was forced to abort a landing at the last moment due to high crosswinds at Cork Airport yesterday.
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