Barack Obama and his Secretary of State John Kerry have renewed calls for strikes on Syria.

Meanwhile, a US Senate hearing has agreed a draft resolution - setting two ground rules for intervention. It sets a time limit of 60 days on any operation and bans the use of any ground forces.

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Prison officials say Ohio kidnapper Ariel Castro has been found dead in jail.

Castro (53) - who held three women captive for a decade in Cleveland - is said to have taken his own life.

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A meeting is due to take place today between the IMO and HSE in the dispute over junior doctors' working hours.

Yesterday, the IMO announced a nationwide strike for non-consultant hospital doctors on Wednesday September 25th - with further action at at least one regional hospital every week from Monday the 30th.

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The Chief Executives of Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank will appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee today.

Richie Boucher and Jim Brown will both face questions on how their banks are helping distressed mortgage holders.