GOOD MORNING.

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

Paramedics

1. In our lead story this morning, Garreth MacNamee reports that paramedics based in the south of the country are being asked to accept new crewing arrangements which some staff members say dilutes patient safety. 

They could face having to postpone annual leave if they refuse to go ahead with the new setup. 

Monkeypox 

2. The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) – the highest alarm it can sound.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the monkeypox outbreak has “rapidly” spread around the world. He said there is a moderate risk to countries globally but a high risk for people in Europe where cases are high.

Covid vaccines

3. The Health minister announced changes to Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme. 

Stephen Donnelly accepted new recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee approving second and third Covid boosters for a wider group of people. 

Ukraine 

4. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced a missile strike on the port of Odessa as “Russian barbarism” just a day after the warring sides struck a deal to resume cereal exports blocked by the conflict.

The Ukrainian military said its air defences had shot down two cruise missiles but two more hit the port yesterday, threatening the landmark agreement hammered out over months of negotiations aimed at relieving a global food crisis.

All-Ireland final 

5. Kerry and Galway are battling it out in Croke Park today in the All-Ireland football final.

Road to Dover 

6. Traffic at the Port of Dover is once again “flowing normally” after days of lengthy queues created travel chaos in England.

Extra post-Brexit border checks and French authorities’ understaffing of checkpoints in Dover have been blamed for the hold-ups.

California wildfire

7. A state of emergency has been declared in California’s Mariposa County due to a massive wildfire near Yosemite National Park in the US.

The so-called Oak Fire exploded in size yesterday into one of the state’s largest wildfires of the year, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people and shutting off power to more than 2,000 homes and businesses. 

UK Rwanda migrant scheme 

8. Lizz Truss said she will extend the UK’s controversial Rwanda asylum scheme, in a move to firm up support among Tory party voters in the race to succeed Boris Johnson.

The Foreign Secretary, in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, suggested that as UK Prime Minister she would extend the Rwanda policy, despite it currently being in legal limbo.

Hoax ads warning

9. A financial adviser has warned people not to trust online ads claiming that public figures are trading cryptocurrency. 

It follows after a hoax advertisement was featured on several mainstream websites, including the homepage of the BBC, featuring a photo of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar with the caption: “Pressure on Leo is increasing. Big banks are chasing him after he revealed his source of income.”