NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of today’s news. 

IRELAND

Baby Arlo Robert Emmet, pictured with his mother Nicole, was the first baby born in Ireland in 2024.

• A statutory agency, Cuan, dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) has been established today.
• Tolls on ten routes across the country, including the M50 and the Dublin Port Tunnel, have increased from today. 
• Gardaí have set up an incident room and are appealing for witnesses to the arson attack yesterday in the Ringsend area of Dublin.
• A transatlantic flight was evacuated at Shannon Airport after the jet made an emergency landing there this morning.
• A woman in her 80s died following a collision in Co Roscommon yesterday evening, while a man in his 30s is in a serious condition.
• Provisional road traffic collision figures released today by the Road Safety Authority show that 184 people were killed on Irish roads in 2023.
• National Lottery ticket holders have been urged to check their Millionaire Raffle tickets, after the winning ticket was sold in County Dublin.
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he will not change his routine despite a warning from the Garda Commissioner that there is a heightened threat to his personal safety.
• The first baby born in Ireland in 2024 is believed to have been delivered just minutes after midnight in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin this morning.
• Tánaiste Micheál Martin said it is not feasible to ban children from using social media, but said the government could be stronger in warning of its hazards.
• The chief executive of Ireland’s new electoral authority emphasised that it is not its job to win referendums for the government, as Ireland plans to hold every type of poll there is in the next 20 months.
• An Irish weight-loss guru doubled his pay to over €1 million last year, as the company seemingly reaped the benefit of WeightWatchers’ surprise exit from the Irish market.

INTERNATIONAL

A major tsunami warning was issued for the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GAZA: Israel has warned its war against Hamas will continue throughout 2024 as unrelenting strikes killed two dozen people in Gaza and the Palestinian militant group fired a rocket barrage at the stroke of midnight last night.

#UKRAINE: President Vladimir Putin has said today that Moscow would intensify strikes on military targets in Ukraine, after an unprecedented Ukrainian attack over the weekend on the Russian city of Belgorod.

#JAPAN: Four people have been confirmed dead following a deadly earthquake that rocked Japan.

#NETHANYAHU: Israel’s top court ruled today against a key component of the government’s controversial legal overhaul, which challenged the powers of the judiciary and sparked mass protests.

 #ANNIHILATION: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his military should “thoroughly annihilate” the United States and South Korea if provoked, after he vowed to boost national defences to cope with what he called an unprecedented US-led confrontation.

#YEMEN: British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps today said Britain is “willing to take direct action” against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have repeatedly attacked vessels in the Red Sea.

PARTING SHOT 

Across the country people chose to start the new year with a (cold) splash by hitting the beach to raise money for charities with a New Year’s Day swim.

In Wicklow, hundreds of people attended the annual charity swim in Bray. 

The swim, organised by the Bray Lions club, chose to support a range of charities for its 2024 event.

These include BARSS Open Group Page Homeless Support, Lakers: Meeting Special Needs, and Ardmore Rovers FC.

Here’s some snaps of their dip. 

Members of the Bray Beach Bathers arrive to take part in the annual New Year’s Day charity swim on Bray seafront in Co Wicklow. Brian Lawless / PA Brian Lawless / PA / PA

John Duggan and Julie O’Reilly take part in the charity swim in Bray Brian Lawless / PA Brian Lawless / PA / PA

Swimmers arrive to take part in the annual New Year’s Day charity swim in Bray. Brian Lawless / PA Brian Lawless / PA / PA

With reporting from Press Association.