Monday lunchtime briefing: Richard Bruton calls ASTI action a 'bad mistake'. Catch up on the headlines

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

IRELAND

ASTI president Ed Byrne has accused the Government of reneging on a deal to pay teachers for the time spent looking after pupils during breaks and free periods and when colleagues are unavailable to teach.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has launched a blistering attack on the ASTI for forcing the closure of over 400 schools across the country today.

The Garda Representative Association says it was threatened with bringing the Army onto the streets if they went ahead with their strike.

Funeral mass for Tom and Kitty Fitzgerald who were found dead in their Mayo home will take place this afternoon.

WORLD 

Here’s a guide to how the result of the US presidential election will be decided and how the events will unfold.

Janet Reno, the first woman to serve as US attorney general and the epicentre of several political storms during the Clinton administration, has died aged 78.

Julian Assange will be interrogated inside the Ecuadorian embassy over sexual assault allegations in Sweden.

Iraqi Kurdish fighters are exchanging heavy fire with militants as they advance from two directions on an Islamic State-held town east of the city of Mosul.

SPORT

Joe Schmidt has admitted Ireland's maiden victory over New Zealand weighs heavily with "daunting" expectation.

We are just days away to the biggest fight in UFC history. Conor McGregor takes on UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez next Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City at UFC 205.

Three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Vautour has been put down after breaking his leg in a freak accident.

As the man himself so aptly put it following a night of drama in Belfast: “There’s never a dull moment in a Paddy Barnes fight!”

OPINION

Donald Trump may be the one shouting about election- rigging but if anyone has a right to claim a set-up in Philadelphia, it’s Hillary Clinton.

The ongoing building of illegal settlements is just one feature of a brutal occupation that foments Palestinian resentment.

BUSINESS

Ryanair has reported a second quarter profit increase of 8%, as it initiates another share buyback to help ease investor sentiment after sterling's slump caused the airline to issue a profit warning last month.

Ireland would suffer more from a hard Brexit than Britain, according to a new study.

LIFESTYLE

If you are trying to persuade somebody around to your way of thinking, writes Jonathan deBurca Butler, you need to start sowing the seeds earlier than you might think.

SHOWBIZ

Live at the Marquee bosses are spoiling us with announcements. Over the weekend they surprised us with two more acts.

VIRAL

Politicians are often rumoured to have spun a few yarns and Hillary Clinton is no stranger to the rumour mill herself. However, this yarn has been spun into a hot-pink tribute to the US presidential race hopeful.

VIDEO - OUR CHOICE

Hundreds of secondary schools across the country are to remain shut indefinitely after crunch talks over a pay row collapsed without a deal.

TECHNOW

GAMING: Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon took all the fun of the original game and crammed it into an action packed neon lit 80s playground.

MOVIES/TV: Deadpool was a whole heap of fun, so we're naturally looking forward to seeing what they can do with the sequel. Or we were, until things started to crumble a little.

TECH: Virtual Reality is most definitely here, with the arrival of the PlayStation VR bringing potentially millions of new players in this world.

MOST READ RIGHT NOW

On Friday afternoon a dutch submarine arrived in the Port of Cork, and it's truly a sight to behold. This video was sent to us by Aaron Barker who captured footage of the sub making it's way through Cork harbour, right up into the city.