LAST UPDATE | 20 Oct 2023
GOOD MORNING. HERE are the stories making headlines as the day gets underway.
1. The Israeli army has announced plans to evacuate the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, after days of clashes with Hezbollah fighters along the border with Lebanon.
2. Almost three in 10 non-homeowners want to own a home but don’t think they ever will, according to a new housing survey by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland.
The survey, which looks at people’s housing circumstances and expectations, shows continued strong aspiration for homeownership and demand for homes to buy in Ireland.
3. One in thirty private drinking water supplies failed to meet the drinking water standards, compared to one in 734 public supplies, in 2022.
The Environmental Protection Agency has said “urgent action” is needed to improve the quality of drinking water from private supplies and said that compliance has not improved.
4. US President Joe Biden has said he would send an urgent funding request to Congress, which is expected to be roughly 100 billion dollars over the next year.
Biden declared it is “vital for America’s national security” for Israel and Ukraine to succeed in their wars.
5. The Department of Integration clashed with Department of Housing officials as it scrambled to house International Protection applicants at the start of the year, new documents reveal.
Emails show a back and forth between officials as the Department of Integration sought to deal with the significant influx of people arriving in Ireland seeking International Protection.
The emails also reveal how the Department of Housing and the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) expressed concern over plans to signpost people to homelessness services following the closure of the emergency shelter at Citywest Transit Hub in January.
6. Palestinians in war-torn Gaza are awaiting the arrival of emergency aid promised in a deal struck by US President Joe Biden, as Israel’s military kept up its bombardment of targets in the Hamas-run enclave.
Cargo planes delivered stocks including food and medicine, water purifiers and hygiene products to Egypt’s El Arish airport, awaiting the opening of the Rafah border crossing to Gaza.
7. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was confronted in Midleton yesterday by concerned families and business owners whose properties were damaged by the extreme flooding that hit the town during Storm Babet.
While he was talking to media in the town centre, locals interrupted to ask him what will be done to ensure that businesses can access relief funds quickly.
8. The UK Labour Party has dealt a double by-election blow to Rishi Sunak by overturning huge Tory majorities in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire.
Sir Keir Starmer claimed Labour was “redrawing the political map” by taking seats which had been comfortably Conservative ahead of the general election expected next year.
9. Saudi Arabia’s crown prince has said that attacks on civilians in Gaza were “heinous” and warned of “dangerous repercussions” should the war between Israel and Hamas expand, state media reported.
Mohammed bin Salman, the Gulf kingdom’s de facto ruler, made his comments during a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who before visiting Riyadh met with Israeli leaders and pressed them to let more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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