METRO Thursday, December 3, 2009 D FOR INFORMATION ON THE SANTA BEAR APPEAL OR TO MAKE A DONATION PLEASE CALL FREEPHONE 1800 612 612 OR LOG ONTO WWW.CRC.IE Thug avoids jail for attacking man A MAN who beat up a man outside his home after being asked to keep quiet has been given a three-year suspended sentence. David Rogers, 21, formerly of Ballygara Close, Garristown, was among a group drinking outside a community centre when Marcin Kolarski asked them to quieten down as his baby was sleeping. Mr Kolarski was then attacked by the group, leaving him with head injuries. Witnesses later identified Rogers who was arrested. Rogers pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault and was branded a thug by the judge. Facebook altered right at the altar A BRIDEGROOM changed his relationship status on Facebook to married as he stood with his new wife at the altar. He then handed the bride the phone so she could update her page too, in front of the minister. A video clip of the wedding stunt in Abingdon, Maryland, has had more than 50,000 hits on the internet. MENU The Home Digest 4 Guilty Pleasures Celebrity gossip 16-17 World Digest 18 Letters 20 MetroLife Arts and entertainment 22-23 60 Second Interview Singer Newton Faulkner 24 TV 24-25 Puzzles 26 Classifieds 27-28 Sport 29-32 Help keep Dublin clean and tidy for everyone by taking your Metro with you and recycling it extra 50million from income tax as a pleasant surprise. VAT fell a fur- ther 138million behind the April tar- gets, and is now more than 20 per cent behind the value ofVAT received in the same period last year. The Ex- chequer deficit was deepened by the 4billion paid to Anglo Irish Bank to save it from collapse and the 3bil- lion pumped into the National Pen- sion Reserves Fund. Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton said the figures did not mean Santa Claus was coming early. The November exchequer returns usually provide a very significant bo- nus for Ministers for Finance. How- ever, todays figures confirm that tax receipts continue to drop, she said. Fine Gaels Richard Bruton said the Governments strategy for this years Budget is falling apart The Governments attempt to tax its way out of the hole in the public finances has backfired. Instead of raising the extra 6billion in taxation that was being sought, tax revenue is running over 8billion behind. Tax take better than predicted THEYRE bad, but not quite as bad as expected. Exchequer figures show latest in- come tax receipts were 50million ahead of what the Government pre- dicted last month, but still 575mil- lion behind what it forecast in April. Total tax take fell by a further 285million last month to 30.8bil- lion, mainly because of worse than expected VAT income, and is now some 1.36billion behind the target set in the April Budget. But the overall picture for tax reve- nue has improved since the Depart- ment of Finances last prediction in October that the shortfall would reach 2billion by the end of the year. It said the deficit would now be nearer 1.8billion, and described the BY ROSS McDONAGH DonT snuFF ouT The lighT Zimbabwean journalist turned human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, who was abducted and tortured by state forces a year ago, led a candle-lit vigil against further aid cuts outside Dil ireann yesterday Picture: Maxwells corrie sTar passes away CORONATION Street star Maggie Jones, who played battle-axe Blanche Hunt, died yesterday aged 75. She first appeared as the soap character 35 years ago and was in more than 830 episodes before falling ill in October. William Roache, Blanches son-in-law Ken Barlow, described her as a tower of strength. The cast and crew broke into applause in tribute to the actress on hearing of her death. Street legend: Maggie Jones TODAY: Cold and breezy with scattered showers. Max: 7C TOMORROW: Windy but mild with widespread rain. Max: 11C METRO Weather Public pay not a done dealTAOISEACH Brian Cowen warned no deal on 1.3billion public sector pay cuts has been finalised despite a breakthrough on plans for unpaid leave. Although unions have called off a second one-day strike, Mr Cowen said the two-week sabbaticals did not solve the crisis. The Taoiseach said other options could be considered to make cuts and a deal would have to be reached before the Budget. Mr Cowen said: The proposals in their present form do not provide the basis for an agreement and until they do, we dont have the basis for an agreement. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused the Government of abdicating responsibility in tackling the economic crisis, while Labour chief Eamon Gilmore branded the strategy muddled. LOTTO WEDNESDAYS DRAW 03 10 16 20 30 43 Bonus: 02 Plus 1: 08 11 33 40 42 45 Bonus: 01 Plus 2: 08 21 23 25 26 45 Bonus: 31 Jobless are going abroad, says Labour UNEMPLOYMENT rose slightly last month with 423,400 on the dole as the jobs crisis showed continued signs of levelling off. Official figures yesterday showed 1,000 new claimants in November. But the Labour Party warned foreign workers returning home and jobseekers heading abroad were playing their part in easing the effects of the downturn. Enterprise spokesman Willie Penrose said: This is acting as a pressure valve and has led to a slowing down in the numbers signing on. The jobless figures were revealed as Permanent TSB announced it is axing 120 jobs and closing 11 branches. Union leaders said they felt let down by the planned lay-offs after workers had agreed to cost-cutting measures. Jobs exodus: Willie Penrose Warning: Cowen TOUGHER taxes for high earners and a clampdown on tax exiles were among a raft of tough budget proposals outlined by Congress yesterday. A rise in capital gains and a new policy of making the wealthy pay a minimum tax rate of 35 per cent on incomes of 100,000 or over have also been recommended by the trade union umbrella group. It said targeting the rich with levies could raise around 2.3billion next year. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html32.html33.html34.html35.html