GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINES.
To save you the hassle of looking out the window, it’s going to be overcast and drizzly, so lie back and have a read of what’s doing the rounds in the media today.
1. US tornadoes
Dozens of tornadoes roared through six US states overnight, leaving more than 80 people dead and dozens missing in what President Joe Biden said was likely to be “one of the largest” storm outbreaks in American history.
More than 70 people are believed to have been killed in Kentucky alone, many of them workers at a candle factory, while at least six died in an Amazon warehouse in Illinois.
The western Kentucky town of Mayfield was reduced to “matchsticks,” its mayor Kathy O’Nan said.
2. Boris to be quizzed over a quiz
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been accused of presiding over a “culture of disregard for the rules” after a picture emerged of him taking part in an online Downing Street quiz flanked by colleagues, one of whom was draped in tinsel.
Downing Street said the Tory Party leader had “briefly” taken part virtually in the quiz.
Deputy party leader of the Labour party Angela Rayner said: “While the rules said that people shouldn’t have Christmas parties at work and Britons across the country were doing the right thing, Boris Johnson was instead happy to preside over a culture of disregard for the rules at the heart of government.”
3. Road collision
A section of Dublin City’s George’s Street remains closed today after Gardaí said a “serious” collision took place last night. Emergency services are still at the scene.
4. Anglo-Irish relations are changing
The Irish Government is shifting the focusing on primarily having relations with Westminster, to building up greater direct links with Wales, Scotland, and the north of England in the aftermath of Brexit.
This year, an Irish consulate has been opened in Manchester, and another reopened in Cardiff. Next year, the mayors of Manchester and Liverpool will travel to Ireland at the end of March, where tourism and trade will be a key focus.
5. Job losses
The Sunday Independent is reporting that Cabinet has been warned in a confidential memo earlier this month that tens of thousands of jobs could be lost and thousands of businesses could fold when the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme ends next April.
6. Noah Dohonoe search reviewed
The Sunday Independent is also reporting that an internal PSNI review into the disappearance and death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has revealed that police chiefs refused to pay overtime to officers assigned to the search operation.
7. World champ
Irish boxer Katie Taylor retained her undisputed title in Liverpool last night, holding off the rough-and-tumble challenge of Kazakhstan’s Firuza Sharipova in a 10-round contest.
8. Mandatory Covid protests
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Austria’s capital Vienna yesterday to protest mandatory Covid vaccines and home confinement orders for those who have not yet received the jabs.
9. And now, the weather
A Status Yellow wind warning is in place for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo from 3pm-11pm today, with a separate Status Yellow wind warning in place for Clare and Kerry, from 3pm-8pm.
It will be mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain, mainly over the northern half of the country this morning.
Outbreaks of rain will continue through the day but there will be some brighter spells too. with rain will become more persistent from the west again this evening.
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