LAST UPDATE | 31 Dec 2024

GOOD MORNING. 

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Butane honey oil

1. In our main story this morning, Valerie Flynn reports on butane honey oil (BHO), a highly concentrated form of cannabis that was almost unknown here less than a decade ago.

There has been a more than seven-fold increase in seizures of BHO by Revenue this year, The Journal has learned. Revenue found 151kg BHO in the course of 119 seizures this year to 5 December, up from 21kg in 2023 and just 6kg in 2022. 

Roscommon

2. Gardaí have launched a suspicious death investigation into the discovery of a woman’s body on farmland in Co Roscommon.

The discovery is linked to a missing persons probe in Athlone for Mirjana Pap (58), who was missing from her home. 

Hate crime

3. New laws dealing with cases of crimes motivated by hatred will come into force from today, the Department of Justice has announced.

The Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 provides for increased prison sentences for certain crimes, where proven to be motivated by hatred, or where hatred is demonstrated in the commission of the offence.

Arrest warrant

4. A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached, suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived bid to impose martial law on the country earlier this month.

Foreign Affairs

5. Six parental child abductions, 405 deaths of Irish people abroad and 241 arrests of Irish citizens are just some of the incidents dealt with by Irish diplomats this year as requests for consular assistance continue to rise.

Disheartened

6. People who live on houseboats are concerned over what they claim is a severe lack of communication between them and Waterways Ireland about proposed changes to bye laws along the Grand and Royal canals in Leinster.

Hybrid attack

7. China has hit back at accusations that a state-sponsored hacker was behind a cyber breach at the US Treasury Department, calling the claims “groundless”.

Co Louth

8. A man in his 80s has died from injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle collision in County Louth on St Stephen’s Day.

Aurora Borealis

9. Irish Aurora forecasters have predicted that the Northern Lights will likely be visible across large parts of Ireland tonight, meaning people will be able to mark the start of the new year with a natural light show.