GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.

Robert Troy

1. The Fianna Fáil TD resigned as Minister of State last night, following weeks of controversy over his property dealings. 

The Journal’s political correspondent Christina Finn looks at how he fell, with surprise hitting Troy’s Leinster House colleagues at how quickly it put paid to his government role. 

Baby abandoned in car theft

2. Gardaí in Dublin are investigating where a baby was left on the side of the road by a car thief who did not realise the infant was inside the vehicle. 

The incident is alleged to have happened in Dublin 7 last Sunday. While the car has not yet been found, gardaí have said they are following a definite line of inquiry.

Monkeypox

3. The number of available vaccine doses for monkeypox is to increase five-fold.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) has issued updated guidance on the vaccine that will allow it to be administered intradermally – meaning, just below the top layer of skin.

The knock-on effect of this will be that a smaller dose of the vaccine will be able to be used compared to when it is given subcutaneously – deeper under the skin – thereby allowing a higher number of vaccines to be administered overall.

Ukraine

4. Ukrainian officials are drawing up plans to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin can be tried for launching the war.

The plan for a special international tribunal to investigate Russia’s alleged “crime of aggression” is being spearheaded by the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential administration.

Ukraine views the tribunal as a way to “make sure that these people are labelled as criminals, and that they cannot travel in the civilised world,” Andrii Smirnov said. 

Sex worker exploitation

5. A new report by University of Limerick contains claims that some Gardaí have sexually exploited and discriminated people working in the sex trade. 

Here, a sex worker called Molly writes about her own experiences and what needs to change, describing a “hyper-focus on the punter” in Ireland’s laws which leaves the sex worker under served.

Garda unrest

6. Representatives for rank and file gardaí have formally rejected proposed rosters and said that the changes “seriously inhibit proactive work-life balance and work predictability”.

The Journal understands that central to the dispute is a concern that a new proposed roster would see an €8,000 reduction in pay for some gardaí.

Texas

7. The police chief in charge of the response to the Uvalde, Texas school shooting that saw 19 children and two teachers killed has been sacked.

The Uvalde school board voted unanimously to terminate the contract of district police chief Pete Arredondo.

The state’s public safety chief previously said Arredondo had placed “the lives of officers before the lives of children” and made “terrible decisions” while managing the scene. 

Missing students

8. A judge has ordered Mexico’s former attorney general to stand trial in the case of 43 students whose murky disappearance in 2014 traumatized the nation.

Jesus Murillo Karam will be tried on charges of forced disappearance, torture and obstruction of justice, the Federal Judiciary Council said after a court hearing in Mexico City.

Covid vaccine

9.  People aged 50 years and older can make an appointment for their next Covid-19 booster dose from today.

People can book their booster appointment at a HSE vaccination clinic online, or by checking with a participating GP or pharmacy.