LAST UPDATE | 16 Oct 2023

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

Invasion pending

1. More than one million people have fled their homes in Gaza in scenes of chaos and despair as Israel bombard the Hamas-ruled territory and continue massing troops today in preparation for a full-blown ground invasion.

After it suffered the deadliest attack in its history, Israel unleashed a relentless bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip that has flattened neighbourhoods and killed at least 2,670 people, mainly civilians.

Misleading claims

2. Leaflets about sex education which have recently been distributed in Dublin include misleading claims about changes to the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum.

One of these leaflets handed out at the event encouraged parents to get more information at a website that promotes the QAnon conspiracy theory.

The Journal‘s Shane Raymond Factchecks the claims.

Road deaths

3. Five men have died in separate road incidents over the weekend, as the road death toll rises to 149 for the year so far.

One man, Joe Drennan, was standing at a bus stop in Limerick when he was struck by a hit and run driver. 

Three motorcyclists were killed in incidents in Kerry, Roscommon and Waterford.

Polish election

4. Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk declared the beginning of a new era for his country after opposition parties appeared to have won enough votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election to oust the governing nationalist conservative party.

Exit polls suggest the ruling Law and Justice party won the most seats, but not enough to lead a government which can pass laws.

President on tour

5. President Michael D Higgins will begin a week-long series of events in Rome with an address this morning to mark World Food Day.

He will also speak at the opening session of the World Food Forum this afternoon and will meet with Pope Francis and Italy president Sergio Mattarella later in the week.

The World Food Forum is held at the Headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome.

Support for Israel

6. A demonstration in solidarity with Israel was held in Dublin today.

Members of the Israeli community in Ireland expressed their fears for loved ones in Israel, amidst the war with the Hamas militant group which began eight days ago.

A rally at Leinster House was followed by a march to the Israeli embassy, where a prayer service was held.

Budget 2024

7. At least 4,000 seriously ill patients may be unable to access potentially life-saving medicines next year due to the Government’s decision not to provide funding for new drugs in last week’s budget, the Irish Times reports.

New medicines that were in the pipeline for chronically ill people may be affected by the freeze, and around 1,000 cancer patients are expected to have their future treatment plans derailed. 

France V South Africa

8. Antoine Dupont sank to one knee and covered his face with a hand as the crushing disappointment of France’s Rugby World Cup exit in the quarterfinals sank in, AP reports.

Les Tricolores lost to defending champion South Africa 29-28 and the world’s best scrumhalf was unable to summon enough magic to make the difference.

United States

9. US President Joe Biden condemned the killing of a six-year-old Muslim boy as a “horrific act of hate” on Sunday, after authorities charged the assailant with murder and hate crimes for an attack allegedly linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.

The child was stabbed 26 times by his landlord on Saturday and later died at hospital, while his 32-year-old mother was also wounded but expected to survive, the Will County sheriff’s office in Illinois said in a statement.