LAST UPDATE | 18 Dec 2018

EVERY MORNING TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.

1. #NURSES: Up to 35 specialised nurses working at the Mater Hospital in Dublin may be unable to work over the busy Christmas/New Year period due to apparent delays in receiving work permit documentation.

2. #BREXIT: The British Cabinet is set to discuss whether the government should escalate its preparations for a no-deal Brexit when it meets this morning, the BBC is reporting.

3. #WEATHER: Thousands of people have been left without power this morning following strong overnight winds across the country.

4. #RACISM: Black non-Irish people are five times more likely to experience discrimination when seeking employment in Ireland when compared to white Irish people.

5. #COMEY: Former FBI director James Comey has lashed out at US president Donald Trump for telling “lies” and undermining the rule of law.

6. #ABUSE: One in ten tweets mentioning black women politicians and journalists was abusive or problematic, compared to one in 15 for white women, according to a large-scale study of abuse on Twitter.

7. #DEALZ: An advertising campaign by low-cost retailer Dealz featuring a scantily clad ‘Harry the Hunk’ has fallen foul of advertising standards.

8. #SECURITY: The government is to replace the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate with a new oversight body, RTÉ has reported. 

9. #CBS: A former boss of CBS, Les Moonves, will not receive a $120 million severance package following an inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct, the BBC has reported. 

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