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EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you need to know with your morning cup of coffee.
1. #LABOUR: The Labour Party’s 66th annual conference continues in Galway today, where the spotlight will be on fairness in education and healthcare, as well as the economy. Leader Eamon Gilmore will give a televised speech to the 800 grassroots members tonight from 8.30pm.
2. #SYRIA: The UN Security Council is to vote on a resolution to authorise the deployment of military observers to monitor a promised ceasefire between the Syrian government and opposition fighters. However, reports this morning suggest that fighting continued overnight as troops loyal to President Bashar Assad shelled areas of Homs.
3. #TITANIC100: Events are taking place over the weekend to mark the 100th year anniversary of the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic during which 1,500 people died. We have put together a round-up of commemorations happening in Cobh, Belfast and Southampton.
4. #CHARGED: Two men have been charged in Northern Ireland for posting anti-Catholic message on Facebook, according to the Irish Examiner. The abusive posts were written during the loyalist marching season last summer and were reported to the PSNI by Sinn Féin member Daithí McKay.
5. #DEFAULT: Writing a column for TheJournal.ie this morning, economist Constantin Gurdgiev tries to answer one of today’s biggest questions: What would happen if Ireland walked away from its debts?
6. #SECRET SERVICE: US President Barack Obama has recalled a number of Secret Service agents from Colombia following allegations of misconduct. The Washington Post reports that the accusations relate to involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.
7. #WEIGH-INS: The Irish Medical Organisation has heard calls for children to be weighed in school. Dr Edna Roche told the doctors’ union that one in four 9-year-olds are overweight or obese in Ireland and plans are underway to plot height and weight on appropriate charts in the classroom.
8. #GRAND NATIONAL: History could be made today at Aintree as Tony McCoy looks to ride Synchronised to victory, making it just the second horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. Two women are also vying to change the sport as Irish riders Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry are among the front runners, both hoping to become the first female jockey to take the title.
9. #WEDDING BELLS: Did you know that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt still aren’t married? Well, they’re not but that is about to change. Hollywood’s power couple confirmed their engagement last night but failed to set a date for the nuptials.
Relive their first (fictional) taste of marriage:
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What a great idea! I would personally love to have my childrens weight posted on a board for the rest of the class to see. I mean, it’s not like children are bullied in school or anything like that. And I’m sure they would excel in the classroom feeling like a spotlight is on them at all times. And I’m also sure that it wouldn’t cause them any distress at all or have them thinking suicidal thoughts. NOT!! This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of and if I were reading this 2 weeks ago I would have thought it were an April fool’s joke.
What a bad Idea.. If they want to do something constructive, target the parents, surely, child obesity is a product of home life… Afterall children don’t spend they’re entire day in school eating!!
Well said!
Bloody awful idea >:(
I think it’s a start, something needs to be done. It might literally get people off their fat arses and do something about their own or their child’s weight problems. Children can see themselves if their classmates are fat, they don’t very well need a chart as an excuse to start bullying them.
I agree with you 100 %.
I really don’t get the fascination with the Titanic.
It’s not the first ship to ever sink, and it won’t be the last.
Other than the irony of a so-called “unsinkable” ship sinking, it’s just another ship which sank.
Bock The Robber makes a similar point Terry in this blog post:
http://bocktherobber.com/2012/04/titanic-conspiracy/
Is it simply just a case of following one of dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip’s Commandments:
“Thou shalt give equal worth to tragedies that occur in non-English speaking countries as to those that occur in English speaking countries.”
I think the fascination began because it was advertised as an unsinkable ship and then sank in record time on its maiden voyage….don’t test Mother Nature or you’ll look like a fool :-)
I suppose it was the fact at the time that it was the biggest vessel ever build, it was build in Ireland by Irishmen at H&W in Belfast, it was the pride of the British fleet, it was full of British,Irish and American passengers and crew. It wasn’t supposed to sink (sic). I suppose it was the most advanced bit of kit around at the time, akin to the 747 or Space shuttle and then of course there’s the Hollywood factor!!!
Hold on Tony!!! Isn’t Belfast a part of the UK? Have that argument with Ian!! It’s Irish when they want it to be…
It wasn’t advertised as unsinkable. Urban legend!
There’s enough pressure put on the poor bloody kids with exams and similar achievement targets without letting the body fascists loose in the school playground. That idea of weighing children is a total load of spheroids!
Why oh why do we keep writing articles on “What will happen if Ireland does not pay it’s debts”? Nothing ever changes!!! We always “have to” pay our debts so we are told!
I meant to ‘like’ this but hit the wrong button :( Not sure who originally came up with this idea, but it’s a disgrace! Andrea has put it perfectly and I couldn’t agree more!!!
I think you will find Dan that when titanic was built the was no Northern Ireland and so Tony is correct, it was built by Irishmen as Belfast was still part of Ireland!!!!
Weren’t we all part of Great Britain then? !916 Rising, War of Independence followed this…..
Weighing kids certainly hasn’t helped the child hood obesity situation in the UK. What is needed is a campaign to highlight the health problems that these children will face when they are older. But hey who’s bothered we will just throw more money at academic reports with out actually doing something positive. Anyone remember the obesity task force? Check out http://parentsforhealth.org/ a charity based in Clare trying to raise awareness on zero funding!!
What’s a grassroot member???
Kind of like the Rank’n'File with dreadlocks.
Where”s my post Sinead???………..did I touch a soft spot then???
Hi John,
This was the only comment made from you this morning? Maybe there was an issue when you were posting? I haven’t deleted any posts from this article today.
Let me know if you have difficulty trying to repost it. You can mail me on sinead@thejournal.ie
Cheers, S
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