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Monthly Archives: September 2017

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According to emerging reports, a number of people are being treated for respiratory problems after a suspected tear gas attack at Frankfurt Airport this morning.

It is understood the suspected attack took place at the airport's check-in area in Terminal 1 at approximately 11am.

Reports state that at least six people were sprayed with a gas by an 'unknown person'.

Commenting on this morning's incident, a spokesperson explained: "The cause is unclear, investigations continue."

Recent reports emerging from the country's busiest airport confirm that the police and emergency services have declared the airport 'all clear' in the wake of the incident.

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Look, Kim Kardashian is no stranger to criticism.

Over the course of her ten-year career, the reality star turned businesswoman has been the subject of intense condemnation from both the press and public alike.

Admirably, the 36-year-old regularly counters it by simply drawing attention to the countless career triumphs and business successes she has enjoyed since her rise to fame in 2007.

We mean, remember when she took aim at her critics after appearing on the cover of Forbes magazine, writing: "Not bad for a girl with no talent".

Having recently borne the brunt of some particularly derogatory comments made by Sharon Osbourne during an interview with The Telegraph, Kim decided to respond, and highlight the inaccuracy of Sharon's comments.

"Kim says she’s doing everything in the name of feminism, but that’s not feminism!" Sharon argued while being interviewed by the British broadsheet.

"Those girls live off their bodies, half of LA has been through them and everything they do from the sex tape to the plastic see-through dresses and the gym wear is about sex, not female progress."

"And listen: God bless them. If Kim wants to show off her body, fine. But that’s not feminism, that’s being a ho. And there’s nothing wrong with being a ho, but always remember what you are."

Instead of taking umbrage over Sharon's indisputable slut-shaming, Kim felt compelled to clarify her stance on the sharing of nude photographs, and called Sharon out on the spin she put on Kim's supposed approach to them.

"I think she said I said a quote about, ‘I post nude photos in the name of feminism.’ Never said that. So I think when people misquote you and then comment, it just sounds ridiculous,” Kim told E Online.

Disputing the notion that she chooses to post intimate photos of herself as some form of feminist message, the mother-of-two explained that her decision boils down to little more than appreciating the aesthetic.

“I post nude photos because I like how I look and I feel proud when I've lost all this baby weight and I post it because I feel like posting it and I feel powerful.If I post a photo," Kim explained. "I post it because I like how I look."

Can't argue with that, Sharon.

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The kindness of strangers has the potential to see you through the darkest of times, as one woman recently discovered after an encounter with her local barista.

In a post which was recently uploaded to Reddit, a coffee shop employee shared a card he received from a regular customer after he consoled her during a particularly upsetting period in her life.

"You are all too good for this world," began the note addressed to the 'Tuesday 5th Sept morning staff."

"Imagine finding out that your boyfriend has a massively pregnant wife that you knew nothing about," it continues.

"Imagine getting zero hours of sleep because you know you have to work with him and see him stupid, cheating, lying, stupid freaking face – all day."

"Now imagine going to your favourite coffee spot, ordering your favourite drink, having the team listen to your stupid problems, tell you that you’re sure as shit too good for f*ckboys like that, make sure that your drink is the best damn white coffee kicker you’ve ever had, then tell you it’s free."

Yesterday a woman came through our stand upset, we hooked her up with her drink on us. Today, we received this. from MadeMeSmile

The note goes onto explain that its writer was truly overwhelmed by the staff's generosity and kindness, adding: "I ugly cried the whole way to work. That was literally the most you could have done for me and I am so grateful for your kindness."

After apologising for 'busting out in tears', she concluded the card with a nod to the future, writing: "Please accept this seed paper as an apology and grow love with it."

Unsurprisingly, Reddit users are all over this thread, with one writing: "Wow, that's really special. I hope everything turns out alright for her."

"Whenever you perform an act of kindness, however small, you never know how much it might affect other people. Good on you and your coworkers."

"People just need to know they are heard and they matter. Whether it's your time or your coffee, it shows they matter to someone." added another..

And yes, we're crying.

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"You're important to someone, Sonny, so put down the rope," is the final line of The Rubberbandits' latest offering, and one which perhaps most succinctly sums up the sentiment of the track.

Examining the complexity of suicide in Sonny, the Limerick duo dismiss the notion that there must exist one specific reason for a person to take their own life.

"He isn't lonely or addicted to drugs, he doesn't owe his mother's money to thugs, he's not an alcoholic, he isn't depressed, and he's going to break a lot of hearts when he hangs himself," the track opens.

Over the course of three minutes and 29 seconds, the track tells the story of countless people, from varying backgrounds, who see suicide as their only option.

The track, which was uploaded to YouTube today, has amassed considerable support, with one person writing: "If this song is in anyway instrumental in saving even one life it has served it's purpose."

"Savage lyrics…I wouldn't expect any less," added another.

Take a listen here, but expect strong language throughout.

 

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Following George Hook's controversial comments regarding the culpability of rape survivors last week, the company that owns Clayton Hotel has announced it will be terminating its commercial relationship with the broadcaster.

The Newstalk presenter stunned listeners of his High Noon programme when he discussed a rape case involving a 19-year-old woman in the UK.

Outlining the case for listeners, he suggested that women who drink to excess leave themselves vulnerable to sexual assault, and should ultimately shoulder some responsibility if they come to harm.

"But when you then look deeper into the story you have to ask certain questions," he said at the time. "Why does a girl who just meets a fella in a bar go back to a hotel room? She’s only just barely met him."

"She has no idea of his health conditions, she has no idea who he is, she has no idea of what dangers he might pose. But is there no blame now to the person who puts themselves in danger."

Following the backlash, the veteran broadcaster issued an apology, saying: "It was unacceptable to suggest in any way that blame could be attributed to victims of rape. I apologise for the comments which caused hurt and offence, and for this I am truly sorry."

Despite his contrition, Hook failed to save his commercial relationship with Dalata, who own the Clayton Hotel, with Chief Executive Pat McCann saying: "George Hook is fundamentally out of touch with reality. I am the father of two daughters and I find those types of comments totally unacceptable."

"This contract is up for renewal in October and this will bring into focus whether we will continue to sponsor the programme."

On Twitter, the hotel group confirmed the same, tweeting: "Dalatahotels cannot support any radio station that allows inappropriate & hurtful comments to be made."

"We will be engaging with Newstalk as soon as possible to terminate our commercial relationship."

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A list of Ireland's most well-off entertainers has been revealed – and there's no prizes for guessing which Mullingar man nabbed the top spot.

Niall Horan has been named as Ireland's richest entertainer, aged just 23, and while you might think a young man like himself might be a bit reckless with his €44 million fortune, financial experts think quite the opposite.

According to The Mirror, it seems the Slow Hands singer learned how to manage money from a young age and is actually well-informed when it come to business and finance.

Other famous faces appearing on the list include Wicklow native, Hozier, who is worth an estimated €4.5 million, while Jedward have a net worth of €1.5 million.

The names were revealed ahead of Ireland’s Rich List, which is due to air on RTÉ 2 this Thursday.

Presenter Joe O’Shea said: “There were a few surprises on the list for me but Niall wasn’t one of them, because One Direction was very much a global vessel.”

“I think he realises how lucky he is. He’s so young and he has all this money. But he has a good head on his shoulders and he’s learned a lot from his years in the music industry.”

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So, as examples of poorly executed graphic designs go, we reckon this condom wrapper may be at the top of the list.

One reddit user shared an image of a condom which had been handed out on a college campus, appearing to be branded with the words “Go further without consent” alongside a picture of a rather out-of-place donut.

And as you can probably guess, the image sparked outrage among social media users. 

“Who approved this?” one wrote, while another asked: “How did they arrive at this final product?”

The wrapper is literally telling people to continue with sexual acts whether their partner has consented or not, right?

Well, not quite.

See, the little donut in front on the text actually stands for the words 'Do Not' (apparently), and is part of Say It With a Condom's Consent range.

While the addition of those two, all-important words completely change the message, no one can be blamed for thinking it meant quite the opposite.

We're glad it's all cleared up, but to be honest, we're really struggling to understand how the condom even made it into the production in the first place.

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So, whether you're a hopeless romantic or professional cynic, we can all agree that public displays of heartbreak and devastation are well, at little over the top.

Don't get us wrong, we love cheesy rom-coms and The Script's albums as much as the next person, but we can't help but feel slightly puzzled by this man's attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend.

Luke Howard, a 34-year-old musician who reckons he's some kind of real life Prince Charming, has set up a piano in a public park in Bristol, pledging to play the keys until his beloved 'Rapunzel' takes him back.

According to Metro.co.uk, the heartbroken romantic said it was his “last throw of the dice” after the four-month long relationship came to an end.

Image: Bristol Post 

Speaking to the Bristol Post, Luke explained that the pair's parting “wasn’t anything nasty or bad,” but merely a case of bad timing.

“If it was anything bad why we split up then I wouldn’t be doing this, but it’s the only thing I can think of doing.”

Couldn't just pick up the phone then, no? OK.

He continued: “It’s a kind of off-the-cuff thing, and I just want her to know how much I love her, to give us a chance rather than leave it there. I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet.”

And though the mysterious 'Rapunzel' has yet to comment on the situation, it seems Luke's plan may have already backfired after Twitter got wind of his stunt, and well, basically did what Twitter does best.

What do you think? Romantic or just plain creepy? 

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The humble handbag is an essential part of any woman's life, and while we might complain about have to lug it around everywhere we go, we honestly don't know how to function without it.

But what if we told you your go-to black tote was actually a breeding ground for germs that could be making you sick?

Think about it. They come absolutely everywhere with us, in the car, on the bus, pub, clubs, and of course, public bathrooms – and while we haven't done the exact math, we're guessing our our bags pick up a whole lot of bacteria along the way.

In fact, a new guide compiled by the Good Housekeeping Institute states that there are eight household items that harbour more germs than the average toilet seat, and rather unexpectedly, handbags came out on top of the list.

It seems that while kitchen worktops, bathrooms and dirty floors are usually cleaned on a daily basis, even the clean freaks among us can forget about the less obvious offenders.

Toothbrushes, remote controls and towels all featured on the list, as well as laptop screens, dishcloths, keyboards and pet beds.

So, is it time to replace all of our beloved handbags?

Probably, yes. However, experts recommend that in the future,  instead of placing you handbag on the floor when out in public places, instead try to use a hook or door handle to reduce contact with any germ-ridden surfaces.

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Reports suggest that Meghan Markel and Prince Harry are set to make their first official royal appearance later this month.

According to the Mail on Sunday, the couple are expected step out together at the Toronto Invictus Games, an international Paralympic-style event founded by the Prince.

The speculation comes as rumours of an inevitable proposal announcement begin to spread.

A royal source told the paper: “Behind Palace gates everyone is expecting an announcement.”

“It’s a case of when not if. The consensus is there will be a wedding next year.”

It's thought that an offical announcement may have been stalled over fears that it would overshadow Princess Diana's 20th anniversary.

The Mail on Sunday also reported that Megahn will likely spend more time in London following the official appearance.

The Suits actress is already well acquainted with many members of the royal family including William and Kate, and indeed her perspective in-laws, Prince Charles and Camilla, and is believed to have made a good first impression.

It's thought that royal protocol means that Meghan won't meet the Queen until an official engagement announcement has been made.

Meanwhile, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recently announced that they are expecting their third child – and with a potential wedding on the cards, it's looking like 2018 is going to be a busy year for the royal family.

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A manhunt is underway as Gardaí in Cork search for a suspect, after a number of shots were fired in the county last night.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, shot and killed a dog before opening fire on a car near the village of Newmarket at around 1am.

The suspect then fled the scene in a 131-C black Toyota Corolla, and it's understood he is still armed with a shotgun.

Reports suggest that no one else was involved in the incident.

Gardaí have focussed their search on woodland areas around the village, and are conducting house-to-house searchers as part of the investigation.

Anyone who has seen the car is asked not to approach it and to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022-31450 or any Garda station.

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Last night, over 14,000 people descended on Manchester Arena as the venue reopened for the first time since a bomb attack claimed the lives of 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert earlier this year.

Singers, comedians and poets from around the world took to the stage for the We Are Manchester benefit concert, which was held to raise money for those affected by the attack.

The crowd were entertained by a star-studded line-up including Pixie Lott, Rick Astley, Louisa Johnson and The Courteeners, before Manchester native, Noel Gallagher closed the show with a heart-wrenching performance.

“Every time you sing, we win. So sing like you've never sang before,” he said before leading in an emotional rendition of the Oasis classic, Don't Look Back in Anger.

“So for any of you that doubt it-and some people doubt that Manchester is the greatest city in England…”

“I was sat watching Sky News and watching the minute’s silence. And one girl that was there and sang this song. And I don’t know if you’re here tonight, but I love you.”

The 50-year-old was visibly upset as he belted out the “anthem of defiance” to a crowd that were only too willing to sing along.

Speculation before the gig had led some Oasis fans to believe that Liam Gallagher would join his brother on stage, however, the Wall of Glass singer is currently in Spain for his solo tour.

However, Oasis fans were treated to renditions of Champagne Supernova and Little By Little, as well as Noel's solo material AKA – What a Life and Everybody’s on the Run.

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