LAST UPDATE | 27 Aug 2021

GOOD MORNING.

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

Afghanistan

1. Kabul is battling the aftermath of two bombs that struck outside the airport yesterday in an attack that ISIS has claimed responsibility for.

Dozens of people have died, with one witness saying that “total panic” erupted after the first explosion.

Australia’s defence minister said it pulled all its troops out of Afghanistan because of “very clear intelligence” that therew as an impending attack. 

Irish in Kabul

2. A total of 36 Irish citizens citizens and residents have now been evacuated from Kabul.

A team of Irish Army Rangers and at least two diplomats were sent to the city earlier this week to evacuate Irish people, with an additional 26 leaving yesterday on top of a previous 10.

However, 15 Afghans with Irish residency and 60 Irish citizens and their families are still in the country.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said that “we’re going to keep working to find ways to help people to get out of Afghanistan… but that is going to take time.” 

Restrictions

3. Back in Ireland, the Cabinet Covid-19 subcommittee is meeting today to discuss the next phase of pulling back restrictions.

A full Cabinet meeting on Tuesday would then sign off on a final plan.

Entertainment, indoor sport classes and hospitality form part of the discussions, with the NPHET understood to have agreed to a move towards a personal responsibility approach by individuals.

Coronavirus

4. While officials discuss the roadmap for easing restrictions, case numbers remain high.

1,866 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in Ireland yesterday evening.

331 people with the virus were in hospital, including 61 in ICU.

Vaccines

5. Walk-in vaccine centres will be open to children aged 12 to 15 this weekend.

12 to 15-year-olds can receive a vaccine against Covid-19 if they attend one of the facilities with a parent or guardian.

Walk-in centres are located around the country.

New Zealand 

6. Dealing with an outbreak the virus, New Zealand has extended a national lockdown into next week. 

A Delta cluster in Auckland last week ended a six-month run of no local transmission.

70 new cases were reported today, bringing the outbreak’s total to 347.

Biodiversity

7. Only a small fraction of Ireland’s targets under our National Biodiversity Action Plan have been completed, an investigation by Noteworthy has found.

Recent EU audits and reports are critical of the State’s management of our protected nature sites and the European Commission has 15 open infringement cases against Ireland over environmental issues.

An expert forum has said that points to the State’s role as the “biggest transgressor of environmental law in Ireland”.

Back to school

8. St Vincent de Paul received almost 300 calls every day last week from parents ahead of children returning to school.

SVP said that back-to-school costs are heaping pressure on families, with many of the calls requesting financial help relating to school contributions, books, digital equipment and uniforms.

It said the number of calls that have come in this year relating to school costs are 10% higher compared to previous years.

Collision

9. Gardaí are asking witnesses to come forward after a man died following a collision in Drogheda, Co Louth last night. 

The driver and sole occupant of the car, a 29-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 11pm.

Investigators examined the scene and the local coroner has been notified.