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WATCH: Bono conducts angry ‘face-off’ with Donald Trump during U2 show
Since the US presidential election campaign began, everybodys who’s anybody has been giving their two cents on who they think should win the race. And of course, Bono was not being left out. The U2 frontman decided to address the topic while performing at the dreamforce event in San Francisco. During a rendition of ‘Bullet the Blue Sky’ Bono conducted a virtual face-off which involved him speaking to cleverly edited video footage of Donald Trump on a giant stage screen. “Now candidate,” he shouted to the screen. The only question we have for you this evening is, what is your vision for this great nation?” To which Trump replied, “I will build a great, great wall on the southern border of the
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Man shot himself after girlfriend held at gunpoint escaped
A man who threatened to take a woman to the mountains and kill her shot himself after she escaped, an inquest heard. Anthony John Ward (31) from Fr Kit Court, Crumlin, Dublin 12 beat and threatened his girlfriend Niamh Fitzpatrick in the hours leading up his death. He forced her to drive to his sister’s house, where he collected a handgun and was driving towards the Dublin mountains when she ran screaming for help into a petrol station after he stopped to buy a cigarette lighter. Ms Fitzpatrick said Mr Ward was “very good” to her initially but as time went on developed a temper. He was using steroids and drugs, she told Dublin Coroner’s Court. On the night of January 26th 2015, he called to her
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WATCH: ‘I’ve made a huge mistake’: All Black apologises after public toilet encounter
New Zealand scrum-half Aaron Smith has apologised to his partner and both of their families after admitting he joined a "female friend" in a public toilet last month. Smith has been suspended for a test as a result of the encounter, which occurred at Christchurch Airport the day after the All Blacks beat South Africa on September 17. When the All Black squad heard about the incident they made a decision to ban the player for a test, as Smith’s behaviour "not of All Blacks standard". Smith is now making his way home and, speaking to press in South Africa, he apologised for the incident. "I've made a huge mistake, a huge error in judgement,” he said. “I'd firstly like to say a huge sorry to my
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German man ‘held in isolation’ for 30 years by parents is rescued
A 43-year-old German man has been rescued from a house in Bavaria after apparently having been held in isolation by his parents for the past three decades. German prosecutors are investigating the man’s parents on charges of assault through neglect and false imprisonment. “We still don’t know exactly for how long the man has had no contact with the outside world and ... whether or not he was allowed to leave the property at all,” police spokesman Jürgen Stadter told German media. “But we can say he was held in isolation.” The man is said to have been in an unkempt state, with ingrown toenails and smeared in his own excrement but was not undernourished. Neighbours raised the alarm having reported
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This man bought a Boeing 767
AT ONE POINT in May, a Sligo funeral director and his pet project were trending alongside two of the most powerful people in the world as the biggest talking points on social media. David McGowan’s left-field plan to move a decommissioned Boeing 767 from Shannon to his in-development ‘glamping’ site in Enniscrone captured the world’s attention. But he was only just getting started. Next month, the local businessman will install a three-carriage train he recently purchased in London to the same location, his Quirky Nights Glamping Village, to join the plane as converted accommodation for visitors. McGowan, who also owns a funeral director business in Ballina and an academy that teaches the embalming
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Mafia boss on run for five years found in secret bunker in own home
Antonio Pelle (54) crawled out of his hiding place at his home in southern Reggio Calabria, with video footage showing at least two dozen police waiting for him to emerge. Pelle, known as “Mamma”, was serving a 20-year prison sentence for mafia association, arms and drug trafficking when he slipped out of a hospital in the town of Locri in September 2011. Pelle, who was on the Italian interior ministry’s list of most dangerous mob fugitives, is considered the boss of the Pelle-Romeo clan of San Luca, in Italy’s southern Calabria region. The clan’s long-running feud with the rival Nirta-Strangio family erupted in a bloody vendetta in Germany in 2007, when a gangland massacre at an Italian restaurant left six people dead.
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Theresa May in thrall to delusional Brexiteers as UK flounders
The courts insist that witnesses ‘tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’. Partial truths can often conceal a small fib, while whopping big lies can often come wrapped around a small kernel of truth. Politicians should be made to take a similar oath. The UK prime minister has, for example, recently insisted that Britain ‘must get the best possible trade deal with the EU from its upcoming Brexit negotiations’. That sounds eminently sensible and is perfectly true. But it (deliberately?) conceals the deeper truth that Britain already has the best possible trading arrangements with the EU: it’s called the single market. Anything that changes this best possible deal will, by definition,
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Tearful Aaron Smith apologises for airport toilet incident
Aaron Smith has issued a tearful apology for the airport toilet encounter that has been condemned as embarrassing by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. Smith, widely considered the game’s best player on current form, has been suspended for one match after entering a disabled bathroom at Christchurch Airport with a woman described as a “lady friend”. The incident took place after the 41-13 Rugby Championship victory over South Africa on September 17 and at the time Smith, who has a partner, was dressed in All Blacks travel attire.
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There were 13 Enforcement Orders handed out for food safety breaches last month
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served 13 Enforcement Orders on food businesses in September. Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI emphasised the serious nature of a food business being served an Enforcement Order. She said Enforcement Orders, especially Closure Orders and Prohibition Orders, are used only when a serious risk to health has been identified or where there are a number of ongoing breaches of food legislation Dr Byrne said: “Enforcement Orders and most especially Closure Orders and Prohibition Orders are never served for minor food safety breaches. "Food inspectors have a range of other powers available to them, apart from Enforcement Orders that they can use for more
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Flagship M8 coupe returns as BMW looks set to axe 6-Series
BMW has trademarked the M8 moniker as it prepares a top-end thump to its upcoming large coupe contender. Built off the same architecture as the all-new 7-Series, the M8 will be built off the new 8-Series when both cars arrive in 2019. Running an all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that will also power the next M5 and X5M, the M8 will run to 100km/h in considerably less than four seconds in its all-wheel drive guise, though a lighter, cheaper version will also be built as a rear-wheel drive. That powerhouse, 600 horsepower V8 won’t be the biggest engine in the range, though, with BMW also registering the 860, 850, 840, 830 and 825 badges, indicating the 8-Series lineup will have 6.6-litre V12, 4.0-litre
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Judge expresses regret she can not extend sentence of killer who punched nurse
A judge has said it is regrettable the law doesn’t allow her to extend the life sentence of a convicted murderer who punched a prison nurse in the face. Jeffrey Dumbrell (36), who was described by his barrister as a “notorious” criminal who last year was one of the most high-risk prisoners in the State, punched the nurse as she was delivering his medication in Wheatfield Prison’s maximum security unit. His current jail sentence cannot be extended, prosecuting counsel Ronan Kennedy BL told the court, as “you can’t make a sentence consecutive to a life sentence”. The courts have ruled previously that a life sentence cannot be extended for new offending while in prison because technically a life
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Widows, carers and disabled can expect budget boost
Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar has said widows, those on blind pension, carers and disabled can expect a boost in next week’s budget. Mr Varadkar said the benefits cannot be confined to pensioners and other vulnerable sections of society had to be looked after. The Minister said he had not agreed a final allocation with Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe yet but hoped to reach one today. Mr Varadkar confirmed there would be an increase in the state pension announced in next week’s budget. He said: “It is fair the budget passes the fairness test.” The Minister also told reporters that he is seeking additional benefits for families with children and those on illness benefit.
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Irish teachers feel 'unprepared' for dealing with dyslexia
A new survey reveals that Irish teachers feel unprepared for dealing with dyslexia in the classroom. Research carried out by the Dyslexia Association of Ireland to mark World Dyslexia Day found 97% of teachers feel they need extra training. Dyslexia affects about 10% of the population. Learning Diversity expert Sara Haboubi, who has just returned to Ireland from Australia, said it was not so much a question of how children learn, but how they are taught. "People with dyslexia are often proven to have a higher IQ and are extremely creatively talented," she said. "They use a different system to make sense of what's going on and creating connections. We need to look at how those students need to
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'It felt good to be home': Michael Jackson's daughter Paris returns to Neverland
Paris Jackson took a trip to the Neverland Ranch, the palatial home she shared with her late father Michael Jackson and her brothers Prince Michael and Blanket. The 18-year-old shared a series of posts on Instagram as she revisited her childhood home, the Santa Barbara estate that the King of Pop turned into magical fairytale-inspired residence after buying it in the late 1980s. In one picture, Paris posed with an alpaca at the zoo and joked that “he was posing so hard”, and later shared a video clip of her feeding one of the animals at the ranch’s famous petting zoo. Another was an image of the entire front of the sweeping mansion, complete with clock tower and decorate floral garden in front.
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Garda whistleblower a 'decent, honourable man'
One of the whistleblowers at the centre of a Garda scandal has been called a "decent, honourable man". Retired Detective Sergeant Alan Bailey said the senior Garda who claims he was involved in alleged efforts to discredit a previous whistleblower, feels it is his duty to expose distasteful practices in the force. The Garda Commissioner Noirín O'Sullivan has denied any knowledge of the incident and wants it investigated at the earliest opportunity. However, she is now facing calls to step down. Retired Garda Alan Bailey said the latest whistleblower is credible. "He's a decent, honourable man. I imagine he has come forward because he feels it is his duty as a serving member (of the Force). The
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Pantibar sign to stay because of its ‘cultural significance’
The popular Pantibar gay bar and club has announced that An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for the brightly lit sign to remain on Dublin’s Capel Street. Dublin City Council directed the sign’s removal from the city centre street bar earlier this year on the basis that it was located in an “architectural conservation area” and because “its use of inappropriate materials and lighting would impact adversely on the character and integrity of the area”. Pantibar posted on Thursday morning that they were “delighted to say we won our appeal” and that An Bord Pleanála had granted permission for the Pantibar sign to stay. An Bord Pleanála ruled that “exceptional circumstances” applied and that “the sign is integral to the social, historical and cultural significance of the current use of the premises”, according to a post on the Panti Bliss/Pantibar Facebook page.
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Boxing authority sidelines all judges and referees used at Olympic Games
The Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) have sidelined all 36 referees and judges used at the Rio Olympics until an investigation has been concluded. The boxing tournament at the Games in August was embroiled in controversy over the new ‘10 point must’ scoring system, with allegations by some beaten boxers that they were ‘robbed’ of victory. Irish boxer Michael Conlan accused AIBA of corruption “from the core right to the top” after losing in the bantamweight quarter-finals to the Russian Vladimir Nikiti. Second Captains Meanwhile the father of Gary Antuanne Russell didn’t hold back after he lost his light middleweight quarter-final to Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in a split-decision.
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Let your voice be heard...
As a teenager, I became extremely active and as my brother, Diarmuid got older and I understood the system, I could see that having an intellectual disability, he had even less of a voice than I did and I knew instinctively that I would follow in Mum and Dad’s footsteps and become an extremely willing advocate. Today, I count myself extremely lucky to be an advocacy project worker for Inclusion Ireland, the National Organisation for People with Intellectual Disabilities. It is my job now to support people to have their voice heard, to help people understand their rights and participate in society. In 2014, the HSE set up six working groups to implement changes after the Value for Money Report which investigated disability services in Ireland.
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Victoria Beckham on her fashion faux pas and fishy beauty secret
Victoria Beckham may be known as one of the most stylish celebrities around now, but it wasn’t always the case for the former Spice Girl. Pop-star-turned-designer Victoria has been talking about some of her less fashionable moments in an interview with The Edit, where she also reveals a surprising beauty secret. Asked about her fashion faux pas, she replied: “At some point I thought it was okay to wear a PVC cat suit. When I was pregnant with Romeo, I walked around Disneyland in Christian Louboutin heels, literally at nine months pregnant.” David Beckham’s missus used to have problem skin, but is now fresh-faced and glowing – and the change she credits it to smells a little fishy… She revealed:
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Ukip sets up inquiry into ‘altercation’ which left MEP in hospital
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he would launch a party inquiry into what he called an “altercation” between “two grown men” at a meeting of the party’s EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on Thursday that left one of them in hospital. Speaking to reporters at the hospital were his would-be successor Steven Woolfe was being kept overnight after collapsing in the parliament, Mr Farage declined to name the other man involved but condemned the incident as bad for UKIP’s image. “It’s made us look like we’re violent,” he said. “It’s not good.” Mr Woolfe was expected to make a full recovery, Mr Farage said, adding that he did not expect the matter to be referred to French police. In a statement, Mr Woolfe said
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