EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, The Journal brings you five of the biggest stories of the day.

1. #AISLING MURPHY: The man accused of the murder of Aisling Murphy told the Gardaí ‘I am the murderer’ when he was interviewed two days after her killing. He has plead not guilty to the charge. 

2. #PALESTINE AND ISRAEL: The US have moved to put 2,000 troops on deployment alert as a signal of ‘deterrence’ to avoid a further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, its national security council spokesperson has said. 

3. #STORMY WEATHER: A Status Orange rain warning is currently in effect in Cork, Kerry and Waterford, with Met Éireann predicting heavy downpours and blustery winds as Storm Babet is set to hit the south of the country.

4.#ENERGY CREDITS: The first energy credit of those promised by the Government in Budget 2024 will be applied to people’s bills on 1 December of this year. The timetable for the rollout of the lump sum payments has also been revealed. 

5. #SQUATTING: An activist who claims he was providing homeless services while squatting at a vacant pub in Dublin has been released on bail after being charged with criminal trespass.