Catch-up with what you've missed with our morning briefing

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Tue, 20 Sep, 2016 - 01:00

IRELAND

As many as 300,000 people are expected at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan near Tullamore this morning.

Almost 90% of farmers believe Brexit has or will have a negative impact on their livelihoods, according to an Irish Examiner/ICMSA opinion poll. Farmers are increasingly gloomy about the future of the industry in general and about their own sectors within it.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney’s plan to help first-time buyers secure homes has been criticised by European authorities as it will simply push prices higher.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has placed fresh pressure on Fine Gael by insisting that the upcoming budget must include space for his party’s demands for increased pensioner and education spending.

Irish middle-income workers are paying more income tax than those in Britain, Spain, Sweden, the US and Switzerland.

A new report by Daft.ie shows that being close to a secondary school can add thousands of euro to the price of a house.

WORLD

The man suspected of carrying out the weekend bombings in New York City and New Jersey has been charged over the shoot-out with police which led to his arrest.

A United Nations humanitarian aid convoy in Syria has been hit by air strikes with reports of many dead and seriously wounded as the Syrian military declared that a US-Russian brokered ceasefire had failed.

SPORT

Munster Clubs U18 head coach Brendan O’Connor has recognised the “immensely improved” standard of club player in the province, following his team’s Interprovincial Series triumph.

The Limerick City board met last night to discuss the fallout from St Patricks’ decision to concede Sunday’s City division JAHC final, with St Patrick’s club official Hammy Dawson castigating officials for expecting players to fulfil two fixtures less than 24 hours apart.

BUSINESS

Operating profits at a four-star hotel business owned by one of the best-known family names in the Irish hotel industry last year increased by 16% to €670,289.

Local residents have lodged objections to a €26m plan by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) to upgrade its famous showgrounds and expand spectator capacity by nearly 3,000 people.

LIFESTYLE

A recent survey by Royal London insurance company found that almost four out of five people believe that tax treatment of cohabiting families is unfair.

ANALYSIS

Ireland will experience a chronic problem with retirement poverty, and needs a proper study of the crisis as a precursor to engaging in debate on the issue.

Noel Hopkins from Inverness may be only two years old - but he knows an awful lot about dinosaurs.

This quiz will likely bring you back to your secondary school English class - the days when you had no bother sorting your onomatopoeia from your assonance?

VIDEO

P.J. Lynam, Chairman of the National Ploughing Championships has set out the traffic plan that will be in operation over the next for days in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, for this year's Ploughing Championships.