LAST UPDATE | 17 Dec 2023
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.
1.Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a nationwide address last night in the wake of the killing of three hostages by his own army, which he said “broke my heart, broke the entire nation’s heart,” but he indicated no change in Israel’s military campaign.
Three Israeli hostages who were mistakenly shot by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip had been waving a white flag and were shirtless when they were killed, military officials said yesterday.
“We are as committed as ever to continue until the end, until we dismantle Hamas, until we return all our hostages,” Netanyahu said last night.
Anger over the killings is likely to increase pressure on the Israeli government to renew Qatar-mediated negotiations with Hamas over swapping more of the remaining captives, which Israel says number 129, for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
A senior Hamas official has reiterated that there will be no further hostage releases until the war ends.
2. More than 60 journalists have been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October, in what is becoming one of the deadliest-ever conflicts for reporters.
Tallies counted by NGOs including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) state that dozens of media workers have been killed since the conflict began more than two months ago.
The vast majority of those killed so far are reported to be Palestinian (56), though four Israelis and three Lebanese journalists are also among the dead. Several others are reported to have been seriously injured or missing.
3. A 48-year-old homeless shelter carer, who allegedly pursued and twice rammed a garda car in Dublin city resulting in two officers being hospitalised, has been granted bail with a range of strict conditions.
The gardaí were taken to the Mater University Hospital after the incident on Friday just after midday and were discharged that night.
Investigating gardaí arrested Declan Murphy (48), of The Orchard, Greenwood, Ayrfield, Dublin, and he was detained at Mountjoy Garda Station where he was charged with two counts of criminal damage and for dangerous driving at North Brunswick Street, Dublin.
4. A Status Yellow rain warning has been issued for Galway city and the wider west Galway region.
Met Éireann has forecasted that heavy blustery rain with spot flooding can be expected today until 9pm tonight.
High spring tides with very strong & gusty southwest winds are also likely.
5. A Vatican tribunal has convicted a cardinal of embezzlement and sentenced him to five-and-a-half years in prison.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the first cardinal prosecuted by the Vatican criminal court, was absolved of several other charges.
Nine other defendants received a combination of guilty verdicts and acquittals among the nearly 50 charges brought against them during a two-and-a-half-year trial.
6. A junior minister has hit out at what he called sloganeering around “open and closed borders” in discussions on Ireland’s asylum and refugee system.
Thomas Byrne, who is Minister of State for Sport, said the phrasing is derived from the US and Britain and does not apply to Ireland over recent years.
The Fianna Fáil TD added that some people needed to “get real” in the immigration debate, given efforts over recent years to maintain free movement with Northern Ireland and the EU.
7. In Ireland, on average, women are paid less than men.
This statement is true – last year, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimated average hourly earnings for men were almost 10% higher than for women.
However, it is also often a major source of controversy, with different claims over exactly why men tend to earn more and how the differences between the genders arise.
So, here is a quick rundown on what the gender pay gap is, how it’s measured and what it tells us, courtesy of journalist Paul O’Donoghue.
8. An All-Ireland club hurling semi for the ages concluded with Galway’s St Thomas’ beating Waterford’s Ballygunner on penalties.
Conor Cooney, who top scored for St Thomas’ with 0-14 in the actual encounter, slotted a penalty, along with Darragh Burke, Eanna Burke and Evan Duggan, whilst missed efforts from Ballygunner duo Dessie Hutchinson and Billy O’Keeffe proved costly.
It’s the end of the road for the three-in-a-row Munster champions, who have now lost four of the five All-Ireland club semi-finals they’ve played.
But Kenneth Burke’s St Thomas’ will march confidently on to a national decider at Croke Park next month against Leinster champions O’Loughlin Gaels or Ulster winners Cushendall.
Player stable after cardiac arrest
9. Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer was in a “stable” condition in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest that led to his side’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth being abandoned yesterday.
With the score level at 1-1 in the 59th minute, Lockyer suddenly fell to the turf in a worrying scene. Play was paused as the Luton defender received treatment from medics while both sides were sent to the dressing room.
Lockyer was eventually stretchered off, surrounded by the medical team, and taken immediately to hospital.
There was a standing ovation from the crowd, with fans in the Vitality Stadium chanting Lockyer’s name.
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