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The 9 at 9 Good morning. Here are the nine stories you need to know this morning.

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know as you kick off your day.

1. #TALLAGHT: Justice Minister Alan Shatter has admitted that the case of the girl removed from a Roma family in Greece “may have had some undue influence” on the two cases in Ireland this week. Separately, there have been calls for a full independent inquiry into the decision by authorities to remove the children from their families in Tallaght and Athlone.

2. #RIP: The GAA community is in shock after Galway hurling star Niall Donoghue died suddenly last night. The 22-year-old, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday, played in the 2012 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny.

3. #SPYING: Angela Merkel has called Barack Obama over claims that the US is spying on her mobile phone, demanding an immediate explanation. The US said it is not currently monitoring her phone –  but a spokesperson would not say whether spying may have occurred in the past.

4. #CHEAP ALCOHOL: Details on new alcohol pricing laws – including a minimum price on alcohol in a bid to combat misuse – will be published today by the Government. However the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will not contain any measure banning alcohol companies from sports sponsorship, despite previous plans to do so.

5. #ARREARS: Almost one third of Ireland’s 20,000 local authority mortgages are in arrears, according to new figures released by the Department of the Environment.

6. #NORTHERN IRELAND: Police in Northern Ireland say that an explosive device thrown at  police in Antrim last night was designed to kill police officers. The PSNI said the force was fortunate that no-one was killed or injured in the incident.

7. #ROADS: The mother of Taidhg Burke, the bassist with The Calvinists who died following a car crash last weekend, has paid tribute to her son and said that his organs were donated to people who needed them.

8. #SHOOTING: Police in California shot and killed a 13-year-old boy carrying a replica gun after mistaking the item for a real gun, The Guardian reports.

9. #AAAARGH: A school in England was forced to close yesterday after becoming infested with – don’t read this if you’re eating your breakfast – venomous spiders. Shudder.

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6 Comments
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    Mute Carmel O'Shea
    Favourite Carmel O'Shea
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:08 AM

    No effect on me. Some of the patterns look pretty, like the snail shell.

    230
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    Mute fergus
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    Sep 14th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Which hole does it scutter out of.lol

    24
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
    Favourite Alan Lawlor
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:51 AM

    Its not the holes in the Lotus fruit that gives me the willies. It is those eyes peeking out of them.

    195
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    Mute Fergal Kelly
    Favourite Fergal Kelly
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    Sep 14th 2013, 11:33 AM

    U was wondering myself whether being put off by the eyes made me an *insert word here*

    16
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    Mute Orla
    Favourite Orla
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:13 AM

    All this time I thought I was a freak. Please can someone tell me if there’s a cure? I could only look at the first one and now my day is ruined. I can’t actually believe there’s a name for it!

    122
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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:13 AM

    Evolution has passed me by, I’d happily pick any of them up.

    103
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    Mute Robin Pickering
    Favourite Robin Pickering
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:55 AM

    Au contraire, young Jim. Evolution has hit the pause button for the 16%, not you!

    46
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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 16th 2013, 11:20 AM

    Thanks Robin, just picked up this puffer fish.
    It’s not good.

    2
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    Mute karla carroll
    Favourite karla carroll
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:07 AM

    I like looking at the above images. Love the frogs…

    84
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    Mute Kitty Prendergast
    Favourite Kitty Prendergast
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:12 AM

    That lotus pod thing totally gives me the willies!!!! :-0

    71
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    Mute karla carroll
    Favourite karla carroll
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:22 AM

    The lotus pod looks like a larvae pod. Thanks to my dad keeping maggots in the fridge when I was a kid the picture has no affect on me.

    I find looking at the honey comb gives me a sense of tranquility.

    30
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    Mute R
    Favourite R
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    Sep 14th 2013, 11:07 AM

    Where did you keep your food? Were they live?

    9
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    Mute karla carroll
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    Sep 14th 2013, 3:03 PM

    They were kept in a container in the fridge along side our food. He used them for fishing.

    7
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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
    Favourite Patricia Mc Cann
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:14 AM

    I think most of them are beautiful

    51
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    Mute O'Reilly
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:06 AM

    Try them with a Sinn Fein/ULA budget proposal…

    47
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    Mute Stephen Downey
    Favourite Stephen Downey
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:17 AM

    Hahaha…that’s brilliant that is! Really brilliant….More!More!More!

    27
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    Mute Sean Claffey
    Favourite Sean Claffey
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:18 AM

    Thanks

    9
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    Mute Dermot Mc Loughlin
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:19 AM

    Oh for f**k sake.

    35
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    Mute Malachy Quinn
    Favourite Malachy Quinn
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    Sep 15th 2013, 9:39 AM

    Yes terrifying if you are on a large wage & avoiding Tax by the FF,FG & LAB schemes designed to benefit the elite!
    For what died the sons of Roisin,
    Was it greed!

    1
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    Mute Natalie May
    Favourite Natalie May
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:43 AM

    I’ve had this for years and never knew why it freaked me out. The lotus thing makes me feel terror and disgust and physically ill!
    Not sure I agree with the study findings though as none of those poisonous animals freak me out.
    To fellow sufferers: now that you know the name don’t google it. The images that come up will disturb you for weeks! I made that mistake about a year ago!
    *shudders*

    47
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    Mute Fergal Kelly
    Favourite Fergal Kelly
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    Sep 14th 2013, 11:37 AM

    Aw man!!! I wasn’t freaked out by the holes so figured I was safe enough to do exactly what you said not to do….. Now I’m resolved to staying in bed under my covers forever.

    22
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    Mute Jean McGrath
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:30 AM

    The lotus fruit image freaked me out a bit it looks like eyes staring out of the holes

    42
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    Mute Emma Brennan
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:16 AM

    First picture really gets to me!

    28
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    Mute Pokey2013
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:39 AM

    Call me nerd, but i think this really interesting stuff! I never thought that the patterns would be just as important as the crazy colours for warning off predators. I don’t think I have a phobia but there is definitely some faint weirdness going on!

    27
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    Mute Eileen McGovern
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:31 AM

    Most of them are quite pretty! But the first one looks like loads of eyeballs! Yuck!

    26
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    Mute Chopstix
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:15 AM

    Trippppy!!!

    18
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    Mute Lorraine Cosgrove
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    Sep 14th 2013, 12:42 PM

    You’ve just ruined my day :( vomit

    11
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:48 AM

    In other news 85.87% of statistics are made up.

    10
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    Mute Vic
    Favourite Vic
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:53 AM

    I remember reading the Ryanair flight magazine last year and there was an article in which the writer described that he had eaten so much Hawaiian pizza that he felt like pineapple was squeezing from his pores. That image still turns my stomach and turned me completely off my favourite pizza. I’ve never read his articles again when flying.

    Apologies if I’ve turned anyone else’s stomach, blame Ryanair. Eugh I’m getting shivers thinking about it.

    8
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    Mute Vonny Gavican
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:50 AM

    They’re all so colourful and pretty

    6
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    Mute Liam O Sullivan
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    Sep 14th 2013, 12:17 PM

    It ain’t the honeycomb that freaks me out but being that close to potentially hundreds of bees would make me kak the pants…

    5
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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 14th 2013, 2:11 PM

    absolutely disgusting images. you can add the inside of a pepper to that. pure revulsion

    5
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    Mute Sharon Larkin
    Favourite Sharon Larkin
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:55 AM

    That blob thing that was named the ugliest creature really did turn my stomach. I’m sure he’s a lovely fella once you get to know him

    5
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    Mute Noel Noblett
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:50 AM

    The first two images made me gag, the second image in particular.

    5
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    Mute Laura W
    Favourite Laura W
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    Sep 14th 2013, 11:24 AM

    I don’t have a phobia but I actually feel a bit sick now after looking at a couple of those. How bizarre. I’d never heard of it before

    4
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    Mute Siobhan O'Brien
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    Sep 14th 2013, 3:20 PM

    The spots on a banana or on a pancake make me feel funny.

    3
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    Mute Catherine Sims
    Favourite Catherine Sims
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    Sep 14th 2013, 11:53 AM

    I thought they were pretty some even beautiful . Wonder how the feck my ancestors survived at all if we don’t possess this genetic fear of poisonous animal and plant life. Can just Imagine it now. Sp pretty must taste ………

    3
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    Mute Niamh O'Regan
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    Sep 16th 2013, 2:47 PM

    First one freaks me out

    2
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    Mute Anthony Byrne
    Favourite Anthony Byrne
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    Sep 14th 2013, 5:40 PM

    The blue frog looks extremely unpredictable. Wouldnt trust him.

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    Mute Lorraine Keane
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:58 AM

    Yuck

    1
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    Mute Kat D
    Favourite Kat D
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    Sep 14th 2013, 1:28 PM

    U know what makes me ill…the inside of yellow melons!!! The pips/seeds and slime turn my stomach something shockin!!!!

    1
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    Mute Marie Boran
    Favourite Marie Boran
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    Sep 17th 2013, 6:03 PM

    It’s more disgusting when it’s photoshopped like this: http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/239/a/e/trypophobia_by_otettttt-d5clgnk.jpg
    *barf*

    1
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    Mute John Ward
    Favourite John Ward
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    Sep 14th 2013, 1:28 PM

    Unfortunately, the first picture reminds me of the “shower heads” in the Auschwitz gas chambers.
    Apart from that awful association, I find the pictures interesting.

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    Mute Kieran Casey
    Favourite Kieran Casey
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    Sep 14th 2013, 10:47 PM

    Ya im not a fan of small holes myself:/

    1
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