Every morning, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know a little before 9am.
1. #GAZA STRIP The UN Security Council has called for an “immediate truce” in Gaza, which was echoed by US President Barack Obama. The Palestinian death toll has exceeded 500, with yesterday being the bloodiest day of fighting in Gaza in years.
2. #MH17 Australia has hit out at the “shambolic” situation at the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine, as bodies continue to be recovered. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is expected to demand that pro-Russian separatists grant unrestricted access to the crash site.
3. #SUN BAN A ban on the use of sunbeds by the under-18s comes into effect today, along with a ban on offering sunbeds to be used for free. The HSE will also have to carry out inspections on sunbed operators. It’s all part of a bid to curb skin cancer rates in Ireland.
4. #MISSING The search is continuing for an Irish man (19) missing in the sea off Byron Bay in Australia, after the efforts were suspended overnight. He was surfing with friends when he went missing. Two others were rescued from the site.
5. #LOUGH DERG A woman in her sixties died after falling into Lough Derg at around 12.30am on Sunday. She was returning to a boat with a man when she entered the water – her companion was unable to save her and contacted the emergency services.
6. #THE FORCE New Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said there should be urgent and fundamental change in the “structure and culture” of the Garda Síochána, in an interview with the Irish Independent today. She also said she was determined to reform the force.
7. #FARM SAFETY The first National Farm Safety Awareness Day is taking place today. Families are being asked to review safety on their farm to reduce risks. So far this year, 14 people have died as a result of farm accidents in Ireland.
8. #HORRIFIC A four-year-old boy was trapped by his seatbelt during a car hijacking in South Africa, and was dragged along the road to his death. Local newspapers said that the boy’s mother was loading him and his sister into their car when three hijackers held guns to her head.
9. #PERSONAL Fears about identity theft led to the Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes getting the database of civil registration records removed from the government site irishgenealogy.ie. The Irish Times said Hawkes described the issue as “shocking”.
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