WHAT’S THE STORY?

1. FIGHTING continues in Gaza today with losses on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has defended Ireland’s abstention on Wednesday’s UN vote.

A woman weeps as she watches Palestinians mourners carry the body of Mohammed al-Araj during his funeral. Al-Araj died after he was shot during clashes with Israeli troops on Thursday. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

2. RICHARD Bruton has defended Ireland’s tax regime AGAIN, saying ‘tax inversion’ practices are “not the product of any features of our system“.

3. JOHN Brown, the brother of Rosemary ‘Dana’ Scallon, has been cleared of two charges of historic sexual abuse, BBC News reports. The jury is still deliberating on three charges.

4. THERE was a scary incident in Dublin today and it was lucky that nobody was injured when a manhole cover exploded on Baggot Street.

5. An ex-Anglo worker has received a suspended sentence in court for defrauding the now defunct bank of €200,000, reports RTÉ News.

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