Lunchtime briefing: OCI will not pay Pat Hickey's €400,000 bail bond. Catch up on the headlines

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

Thu, 17 Nov, 2016 - 00:00

Irish Examiner digital staff

IRELAND

It is understood the Olympic Council of Ireland will not pay Pat Hickey's bail bond of €400,000. The 71-year-old is set to return to Ireland after a Brazilian judge ruled his passport can be returned for medical reasons.

A former Nama board member has described the controversial Project Eagle deal which allegedly saw taxpayers lose out on €200m as a "superb" and "inspired" transaction.

Gerry Adams says Direct Provision is like prison without the armed guards.

SIPTU has indicated it is likely to go ahead with its threat to ballot members on industrial action.

Cork City’s commercial rates will increase for the first time in eight years and funding for hugely successful Christmas festival, Glow, has been slashed after a lengthy and at times chaotic city council budget meeting.

WORLD

President Barack Obama has arrived in Berlin on his farewell international tour with a message of solidarity for Chancellor Angela Merkel. Meanwhile, US president-elect Donald Trump and his team have rejected claims of turmoil and infighting as he attempts to set up his teams for the White House, national security and the economy.

Hillary Clinton has been reflecting on her US election defeat and in doing so has become even more relatable than she already was to millions of people.

Two major British employers have been raising questions about their future in the UK, when the country leaves the EU.

Two women aged 70 and 71 have been arrested in England after a stand-off with police over the controversial cutting-down of trees in a residential street before dawn.

SPORT

UFC fans watched Conor McGregor defeat Eddie Alvarez to become the UFC’s first world Champion in two weight divisions and most have also seen the post-fight interviews and baby announcement. Now you can see behind the scenes on the historic night.

The appointment of a stadium manager for the redeveloped Páirc Uí Chaoimh is the next significant step in the venue’s reinvention, one “we have to get right”, says the chair of the Cork County Board’s stadium business committee.

Funding for the new stadium, which is now estimated at €80 million in total, will break down as follows — €30 million of State aid, €20 million from central GAA funds, €3.75 million from the Munster Council, €10m from the Cork County Board itself, with the remaining amount, approximately €14m, being made up from a variety of sources.

With a first win against the All Blacks in 111 years, a slew of heroic individual performances and all bar one of the 23 given last weekend off, it won’t be easy for Joe Schmidt to tamper with the recipe that cooked up victory in Chicago.

OPINION

Kerry Lawless warns that only media pressure will force an appropriate response from the Church of Ireland, writes Victoria White.

The hardening of the stance from the Government in the face of union demands may not be popular but it is necessary, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

BUSINESS

Swiss International Air has a new route between Cork and Zurich. The new service will operate throughout the summer season, starting June 2, 2017 to September 29, 2017.

The chief executive of Bank of Ireland has said he believes it would be "sensible" for customers to switch to fixed rate mortgages.

LIFESTYLE

Celebrated photographer John Minihan tells Des O’Driscoll about some of his most famous pictures.

SHOWBIZ

Comedian Al Porter has been praised online for opening up about his mental health on RTÉ’s Cutting Edge.

VIRAL

Fathers’ rights organisation Fathers4Justice is to enter the debate around the Eighth Amendment with a media campaign calling for the recognition and protection of the rights of the father in relation to the unborn child.

The sight of snow across the country had people very excited on social media.

VIDEO - OUR CHOICE

Cork City was unusually busy last night as hundreds of runners filled the streets for this year's Run in the Dark.

TECHNOW

GAMING: Playkey is a new cloud gaming service which will stream high quality games right to your lower end system, and it works.

MOVIES/TV: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is in cinemas tomorrow and it's going to easily be one of the biggest films of the year.

TECH: Apple doesn't make ugly products. And it doesn't make cheap ones either. So it's not much of a surprise to hear that when it releases a book it's going to be neither of those things.