GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration this month.
The National Assembly passed the motion in a 204-85 vote today.
2. Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless has said that “confidence is low” that the port of Holyhead can reopen next Thursday.
Damage caused to infrastructure during Storm Darragh last weekend led to the closure of the Welsh port and cancellation of all ferries, during one of the busiest commercial shipping periods of the year.
3. Only a small fraction of the €3.26 billion in fines levied by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) over the past five years has been collected.
The DPC said that of all fines issued between 2020 and the end of October this year, only €19.9 million has been paid so far, 0.6% of the total penalties owed.
4. Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said “no stone should be left unturned” to ensure those responsible for Private Séan Rooney’s death are brought to justice.
This weekend marks the second anniversary of Private Rooney’s death while serving as a peacekeeper with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
5. The newly-formed Regional Independent group has pivoted towards power and is now on course to become the third pillar of the next government, having pulled ahead of other TDs vying to form part of the coalition.
The momentum of the group comes as it has emerged that it is now a certainty that a rotating Taoiseach model will be repeated.
6. The Council of Europe rights body has criticised Italy’s treatment of migrants in detention centres, citing police violence and the use of psychotropic drugs on detainees.
The COE’s anti-torture committee made the comments after a visit in April to four repatriation centres on mainland Italy, where migrants are held pending expulsion.
7. Police in the North are appealing for help in locating a convicted murderer who has absconded from prison for a second time.
James Meehan is serving a life sentence in prison following a murder conviction in 2009, when he was found guilty of murdering James McFadden outside his home in 2007.
8. Jordan will host US, EU, Turkish and Arab diplomats for high level talks on Syria, a day after celebrations in Damascus and nationwide at the ousting of president Bashar al-Assad.
Syrians celebrated the day they called the ‘Friday of victory’ with fireworks welcoming the fall of the Assad regime.
9. A meteor shower was visible from Ireland last night, lighting up the skies with up to 20 times more shooting stars than normal.
The ‘Geminids’, as it is known, is “the best meteor shower of the year” and is expected to last for around 2 weeks, according to Astronomy Ireland.
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