GOOD MORNING.

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

Rafah attacks

1. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority said Israeli strikes on a centre for displaced people killed dozens near the southern city of Rafah yesterday, while the Israeli army said it had targeted Hamas militants.

ActionAid Ireland said that at least 50 burned bodies have been recovered from the scene of the attack, and that horrific images of the victims are coming through.

FG elections promises

2. Fine Gael’s election manifesto promises to set specific targets for social and affordable homes for local authorities. 

Taoiseach Simon Harris will today launch his party’s local and European election manifestos in Dublin, with a large focus on housing in the document.

“We need to build much more, especially starter homes for young people,” it states.

New Children’s Hospital

3. More staff need to be recruited to work in the critical care unit of the National Children’s Hospital in order to “safely” maintain the current number of beds, and to achieve the planned increase in beds, a watchdog report has warned. 

DART disruption

4. There are significant disruptions to multiple DART services this morning.

An overhead power fault has meant commuters cannot get from the northside to Connolly Station by train.

In its latest update, Iarnród Éireann said services are operating between Howth/Malahide and Killester, and between Connolly and Bray/Greystones only.

Anonymous online accounts 

4. An analysis by The Journal of over 150 anonymous accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, examined how the accounts engaged in attempts to influence opinions on a range of divisive topics in Ireland.

Some accounts show signs of being operated by non-Irish users, despite claiming to be Irish and posting almost exclusively about Irish political issues.

Immigration

5. The Taoiseach Harris has said he is “encouraged” by a recent garda operation that detected some 50 people attempting to enter Ireland from the UK illegally last week.

Gardaí said they were refused leave to land and were returned to the UK across four days of action.

Westminster elections

6. Alliance Party Naomi Long has confirmed she will run in the General Election in the East Belfast constituency, where she will challenge interim DUP leader Gavin Robinson for the seat that he has held since 2015.

Suspected arson attack

7. A man in his late teens is due in court this morning, following his arrest in connection to an incident of criminal damage by fire at a Tallaght property last Tuesday. 

EV chargers

8. High-powered EV chargers every 60km on the motorway, home and apartment charging and local residential charging are some of the measures contained in a new charging network plan published today.