Second person should help ODCE examine seized FAI documents, court says
A judge has recommended a second person be appointed by the State’s corporate watchdog to help examine materials seized from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) over which claims of legal privilege are made. Mr Nolan has been engaged to prepare a report for the court to aid Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds in determining what material is privileged. On Thursday at the High Court, Ms Justice Reynolds said the ODCE should consider appointing a second qualified person to assist Mr Nolan in “a mammoth task”. The judge made the recommendation after Mr Nolan told the court good progress has been made in regard to the documentation. Kerida Naidoo SC, for the ODCE, said the director would consider an application to appoint another person to assist Mr Nolan.
Source:The Irish Times
January 14, 2021 18:08 UTC
Experts warn that new, more transmissible strain of Covid-19 could be on the way as 28 further deaths and 3,955 more cases reported
Experts have warned that a new strain of Covid-19 which can stick better to surfaces could be on the way. Medical Virologist Dr Cillian De Gasgun has said that new Covid-19 variants are expected to emerge over the coming months. This comes as the Department of Health has recorded a further 28 Covid-19 related deaths in the Republic of Ireland today. This brings the total number of cases in the state to 163,057 and the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 2,488. In today’s Department of Health release, Dr De Gascun said it’s “not unusual for viruses to mutate over time”.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 17:57 UTC
UEFA write to fans outlining Euro 2020 refund policy
Photo by UEFA via SportsfileUEFA have written to all European Championships ticket holders to inform them of a new refund policy which is tied in with the possibility that the competition could be staged behind closed doors. A large number of Ireland fans had secured and paid for tickets for the games in Dublin in the hope that their team would qualify. Today's UEFA missive confirmed that ticket holders could seek a full refund if they apply before January 26. It adds that the refund policy 'also now specifically refers to a 'pandemic' in the definition of force majeure." UEFA are planning to step up their contingency plans from next week with a view to firm decisions by March.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 17:51 UTC
Three people who ‘drove 80km to collect takeaway burgers’ fined for Covid-19 breach
Three people who claimed they travelled around 80km from their homes in Co Meath “to collect burgers from a takeaway” have been fined by gardaí for breaching Covid-19 restrictions. The fines were issued between Monday, when the new €100 fines came into force, and Wednesday. In one case, a motorist was stopped on Sean Moore Road, Ringsend, in Dublin’s south inner city. He “stated that he and two passengers travelled from Co Meath to collect ‘burgers’ from a takeaway restaurant in Dublin 4 having travelled approximately 80km from home,” gardaí said. However, she was later spotted for a second time, at a beach, more than 5km from home and was fined.
Source:The Irish Times
January 14, 2021 17:40 UTC
Lily Allen says she contemplated heroin on Miley Cyrus tour
Lily Allen has said she became addicted to the prescription drug Adderall to lose weight while supporting Miley Cyrus on tour and even contemplated taking heroin. She supported the US pop star, 28, during her 2014 Bangerz tour, and said that is when she realised she had hit rock bottom. “And then I ended up on tour in America supporting Miley Cyrus. “It was when she was doing Wrecking Ball and the Bangerz tour and it was a highly sexualised tour. “I had never supported anyone so I was re-entering this phase of being a pop star again but not doing it on my terms any more.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 17:37 UTC
Italy's former PM Berlusconi in hospital with heart problems - doctor
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been urgently admitted to hospital in Monaco because of heart problems, his personal doctor told Reuters on Thursday. The 84-year-old media tycoon underwent major heart surgery in 2016 and has also survived prostate cancer. Berlusconi has spent much of his time recuperating at his daughter Marina’s house in Provence, southeast France. Berlusconi also remains head of the opposition Forza Italia party. Newspapers have speculated that some Forza Italia lawmakers might agree to desert party ranks and help prop up Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to prevent early elections.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 17:18 UTC
Seven credit unions to offer €1m SME loans under Credit Guarantee Scheme
Seven credit unions have been signed up to make business loans of up to €1m each under the State-underwritten Credit Guarantee Scheme. The seven individual credit unions will make their own lending decisions and carry their own share of the risk involved in the business loans of €10,000 to €1m each but are all members of the Metamo umbrella group, a resource-sharing partnership with Fexco. Three non-bank lenders: Linked Finance, CapitalFlow and Finance Ireland, have also been added to the Government’s €2bn Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme. The seven credit unions involved are: Cara Credit Union, Mallow Credit Union, First Choice Credit Union, People First Credit Union, St Canice’s Credit Union, Limerick & District Credit Union, and Synergy Credit Union. Another lender, Linked Finance said it will be able to offer borrowers decisions on loans of up to €250,000 in under 24 hours from receiving their documents.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 16:36 UTC
Suzuki Burgman 400 review: The super commuter
One of my favourites was Suzuki’s Burgman 650, which I have always given glowing reviews. “The Burgman 400 will continue. For the time being, the Burgman 400 remains – and a good thing, too. Around town, it’s perfect, with good mid-range torque, and the automatic gear box providing smooth, barely noticeable changes. The Facts: Suzuki Burgman 400 Engine: 400cc single Max power: 30bhp Max torque: 26.5ft lb Colours: White; blue; black Price: £6,599Get £30 off your insurance here: MotorcycleDirect.co.uk
Source:Daily Mirror
January 14, 2021 16:31 UTC
Ashley James is 'fascinated' by her post-baby body and plans to eat her placenta
During her pregnancy journey, Ashley admitted that she had "never been that maternal" and never really thought about the prospect of herself having children of her own. Opening up on her post-pregnancy body, the new mum admitted she sees herself in a whole new light after the life-changing experience. I look back at my body pre-pregnancy and realise any hang-ups I ever had with my body had NOTHING to do with my body." "The truth is we're all so different, and right now I'm just fascinated at how my body is changing daily. Elsewhere, Ashley took to her Instagram Stories to reveal she plans to eat her placenta.
Source:Daily Mirror
January 14, 2021 16:31 UTC
Irish writer on Costa short story shortlist; Irish Times Eason offer: The Hungry Road
This Saturday’s Irish Times Eason book offer is The Hungry Road by Marita Conlon McKenna. *Irish writer Laura-Blaise McDowell has been shortlisted for this year’s Costa Short Story Award for The Lobster Waltz, the story of a young woman exploring LA. The award is worth £10,000 per annum, for a recently completed PhD graduate from the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s. Regan said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the first Ciaran Carson Fellows at the Seamus Heaney Centre. Former children & schools programme director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Janet Smyth will be working alongside Martin Colthorpe.
Source:The Irish Times
January 14, 2021 16:29 UTC
Kerry council very concerned over impact of court challenges to greenway
Kerry County Council is very concerned about potential tourism, health and funding implications of two separate legal challenges to planning approval for a proposed 32km cycle and pedestrian greenway in south Kerry, the High Court has been told. Arising from those concerns, Esmonde Keane SC, for the council, applied on Thursday for the earliest possible hearing of the challenges over An Bord Pleanala’s approval of November last. While the council had said the cases were significant for it, the greenway was also significant for Mr Clifford, who lives locally, counsel said. While Mr Sweetman did not live in the area, his concern is about the significant environmental issues raised, counsel added. Both actions are against the Board and State with Kerry County Council as a notice party.
Source:The Irish Times
January 14, 2021 16:27 UTC
Inside the magical Cinderella Suite hidden in the castle at Walt Disney World
Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid EmailThe Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World 's Magic Kingdom in Orlando is iconic, but did you know that you can actually sleep inside the castle itself? Although it's hidden away, Disney Parks has given us all a glimpse of what's on offer in the magical suite with a behind-the-scenes tour on its TikTok channel. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)The suite itself was originally built as an apartment for Walt Disney himself, but he passed away before it opened. (Image: Matt Stroshane, photographer)Although stays are invite-only, there are ways to see the suite, for example on specially designated Cinderella Castle tours. Still, it won't stop us from dreaming of future breaks - and a trip to Walt Disney World is definitely going on the bucket list even if a stay in the Cinderella Suite may not be on the itinerary.
Source:Daily Mirror
January 14, 2021 16:27 UTC
Samsung's new Galaxy SmartTag tracker means you might never lose your keys again
The brand unveiled the bluetooth tags today by showing how it could be used to track a missing dog. The brand is marketing the tags as a way to track your most treasured possessions, and syncing the items' locations to Samsung phones. (Image: Samsung)The brand is marketing the tags to track everyday items - like your laptop, bag, or keys. Samsung launched the new product on Thursday as it showed off its new Galaxy S21 phone and latest ear buds, the Galaxy Buds Pro, at its first Unpacked event of 2021. If its out of range, it calls on an anonymised network of Tile users' phones to help track the missing item.
Source:Daily Mirror
January 14, 2021 16:24 UTC
Siegfried and Roy's dangerous obsession with tigers as member of magic duo dies
Siegfried and Roy's friendship was truly magical and the pair soon struck up a bond when they become a famous duo. He persuaded them to bring their show to Las Vegas and there seemed to be no stopping them as they became one of Sin City's biggest attractions. Siegfried and Roy popularised white tigers and set the going rate for cubs - $30,000 for white tigers with stripes and $100,000 for white tigers without. On October 3 the show, which featured a seven-year-old white tiger called Mantecore, went ahead as usual. However, their days of performing in Las Vegas were over and they retired from the stage in 2003.
Source:Daily Mirror
January 14, 2021 16:22 UTC
Brexit to hike consumer prices leaving Irish households worse off – Bank of Ireland
HOUSEHOLDERS have been warned that consumer prices are likely to rise in the coming months. It comes despite data for December from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing consumer prices fell by 1pc when compared with the same month last year. The CSO information shows that consumer prices have now dropped on an annual basis for nine months in a row since Covid-19 restrictions were first introduced in March. An Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report calculated that this could add up to €890 a year to average Irish shopping costs due to higher prices on UK imports. This was due to lower prices for diesel and petrol and a reduction in air fares, with these reductions partially offset by higher prices for cars.
Source:Irish Independent
January 14, 2021 16:02 UTC