GOOD MORNING.

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

Power out

1. Thousands could be without power across the island of Ireland, as a clean-up effort that is expected to last well into next week resumes.

Naval Service crisis

2. A high-level meeting between military chiefs and naval officers has taken place in Dublin to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Naval Service, including incidents of vessels going to sea with non-functioning guns. 

Donegal road incident

3. A man who died after a tree fell on his car during Storm Éowyn has been named locally as 20-year-old Kacper Dudek.

Hostage exchange

4. Hamas is to release four Israeli women soldiers held hostage since its 7 October, 2023 attack, under a truce deal in the Gaza war that is also expected to see a second group of Palestinian prisoners freed.

Trump’s second term

5. The United States, the world’s biggest donor, has frozen virtually all foreign aid, making exceptions only for emergency food, and military funding for Israel and Egypt.

‘Hurricane hunter’

6. A US group’s ‘hurricane hunter’ plane has been based in Shannon Airport in recent days to study the strong winds caused by severe weather events such as Storm Éowyn.

Soccer

7. Vera Pauw has been appointed head coach of the United Arab Emirates women’s team. 

Washed up

8. A marine buoy that had come adrift during Storm Bert in November has washed up on Reenroe beach in Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry today during Storm Éowyn.

Speed limits

9. Speed limits on many Irish roads will be reduced from 7 February this year as part of a government strategy that aims to bring down the number of fatalities and injuries caused by traffic collisions.