LAST UPDATE | 28 Aug 2023

GOOD MORNING.

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

Water abstracting

1. In our lead story this morning, Eoghan Dalton reports that a register containing information on industries abstracting intensive volumes of water from rivers and lakes has been published for the first time.

However, information on almost 150 farming businesses pumping or diverting water has been redacted in the document.

Trump

2. Donald Trump’s lawyers will argue today for one of the trials facing the former US president to be put back until April 2026.

He is charged with trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election result ahead of the US Capital riot on 6 January 2021.

Housing

3. Over 580 people experiencing mental health difficulties were supported by a housing association to secure and maintain accommodation last year. 

Last year, the Housing Association for Integrated Living (Hail), assisted 589 people and increased its housing stock by 29 homes to 452 despite no increase in government funding. 

Athletics

4. Ireland’s 4x400m relay team finished eighth in their final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. 

Home safe

5. A 14-year-old girl who went missing in Ronanstown, Co Dublin, over the weekend has been found and gardaí say she is safe and well.

Litter bugs

6. A new survey has revealed that the majority of the country’s beaches are falling short of a clean bill of health, despite the unsettled summer meaning lower visitor numbers.

However, the annual survey of coasts and inland waterways by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) still showed that the most littered areas have cleaned up over the past year.

It also found a “rapid emergence” in disposable vapes across beaches. 

Ancient ruins

7. Archaeologists working a vast Neolithic site in northeast France have uncovered what they say is the last piece of the puzzle – traces of a permanent settlement.

AFP reports that the settlement was unearthed at the vast Neolithic site of Marais de Saint-Gond, giving rare insights into its social organisation 150 years after the first flints were discovered.

Inquiry

8. People who lost loved ones to coronavirus will be among those attending a preliminary hearing of the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, the Press Association reports.

The inquiry has been set up to investigate the devolved strategic response to the pandemic between 1 January, 2020 and 31 December, 2022.

Loch Ness Search

9. Up to 200 people turned out yesterday for the biggest search for the Loch Ness monster in over 50 years.

Boats ran from 10am to 6pm over the weekend with 17 different spotting locations around the loch, where volunteers could keep an eye on proceedings.