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LAST UPDATE | 25 Jan 2024
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.
1. Increases in public transport fares for areas in Cavan, Wicklow, Kildare and Meath will discourage commuters from using bus and rail services, according to local representatives.
In our lead story today, Christina Finn reports that some public transport routes will see increases in fares this year, the National Transport Authority announced yesterday.
2. A motion tabled by the Social Democrats that would see Ireland join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice has been defeated.
An amended version put forward by the Government passed 71-59.
3. The terms of reference for the upcoming Covid inquiry will not be finalised until members of the opposition have had an input, it is understood.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will consult and share the draft terms of reference with opposition parties today.
4. David Cameron has told Benjamin Netanyahu of the need for a two-state solution after the Israeli prime minister rejected allies’ demands for Palestinian statehood.
The UK Foreign Secretary warned of “unimaginable” suffering in Gaza after he reiterated his call for an “immediate humanitarian pause” in a meeting in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
5. Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys will today publish a bill which will introduce significant reforms to social welfare entitlements for lone parents.
Her department has said over 16,000 lone parents will benefit from the reforms which include the exclusion of maintenance payments from social welfare means tests for the first time.
6. Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “playing with the lives” of Ukrainian prisoners of war after a military transport plane carrying 65 prisoners was shot down.
7. A Japanese man found guilty of carrying out an arson attack that killed 36 people at an anime studio in 2019 has been sentenced to death, AFP reports.
8. A man in England who stabbed three people to death, including a student from an Irish family, is due to be sentenced for manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court later today.
9. The new Electoral Commission has launched its information campaign for the upcoming referendums on whether to amend Article 41 of the Irish Constitution to provide for a wider concept of family and – in a second separate vote – whether to remove a reference in Article 41.2 of the Constitution about the role of women in the home, and to replace it with a new Article that would recognise family care.
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One wannabe dictator congratulating another
As opposed to to the democracy loving lefties who continue to protest the election results.
@George Orwell: there is a clear breach of the rules where they accepted and counted ballots which weren’t verified.
@George Orwell: international monitors have questioned the validity of the result.
@George Orwell: Your name is comically ironic – you espouse the Orwellian vision come to pass as i guess as opposed to the vision you have for yourself in using the name. Which is doubly ironic i guess.
@George Orwell: Eight teachers were reportedly arrested for siding against Erdogan’s government. Schools which don’t follow Erdogan’s party line have been shut down. But you’re right, I’m sure the election results were fair.
@George Orwell: I think youre confusing this universe with one where democracy actually exists.
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus: Birds of a feather, flock together.
@George Orwell: try talking about something you know about.
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus: Don’t look at the Trump Towers in Istanbul. Nothing to see here…
This begs the question as to why Trump would feel the need to congratulate a political leader who has greatly aggrandised his internal powers and moved Turkey towards an absolutist and increasingly religious fundamentalist State.
Internal politics is not a matter for other States.
@Tony Daly: USA is actually one of few countries gaining on that situation in Turkey. Russia, EU, all Middle East (including Israel) may have problem with aggressive Turkey. But USA will only sale us more and more weapon…
@Tony Daly: For the US to have allies in the Muslim world they need dictators in power, as the will of the people would be very anti-American. If Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, UAE etc. all became democracies overnight one of the first things to happen would be to get rid of all the American military bases.
Birds of a feather…
This is true to for Trump – he does what he thinks his best for his policy and screw everyone – even it that means his allies in Europe.
He’s siding with Erdogan on a very dodgy referendum that gives Erdogan even more sweeping powers that may well lead to Erdogan ripping up the migrant deal with the EU, as reported in other press this morning. Erdogan wants visa-free travel for Turks in the EU, but wants the EU to accept Turkey’s move to reinstating the death penalty and to fast-track Turkey’s membership of the EU despite all of that.
Trump doesn’t care about any of that despite previously criticising Erdogan, because he wants Turkey onside to drive a wedge between Turkey and Russia and do what he likes in Syria.
The US has always acted in its own interest, and it’s high time European nations did.
Scrapping the migrant deal will be another disaster for Europe, only this time it’ll be worse.
Why am I not surprised.
Of course he called him. The guy is the leader of a key NATO player and he won an election. It’s called protocol. It doesn’t mean you like the result. Lots of people who can’t stand Trump called when he won the election. Another non story.
@Ben McArthur: it was not an election. It was a major extension of the executive powers of the Presidency and giving absolute powers in certain areas. The results have been question by international and independent monitors. Turkey has moved towards an absolutist state under Erdogan as a dictator.
Erdogan has declined to provide assistance and fly over facilities to NATO on a number of occasions. Membership of NATO does not confer some respectability and political validity.
@Ben McArthur: It is very much a story, as the EU have not congratulated him. There wasn’t just the unlevel field and aspirations of the vote, but unstamped ballots that can easily decide the whole vote, i.e. fraud is not unlikely. And there’s no proper way of appeal.
Then you don’t go and congratulate if you stand for democratic rights. But at least the fact that Trump does so underscores his seemingly newly found pragmatism.
Meanwhile I feel sorry for each and every Turk except for Erdogan himself.
I would suggest that this is a call that Mr. Trump may greatly regret.
@John Campbell: You clearly don’t understand global situation. Turkey and Russia are deadly enemies – they always were and always be. And Russia is still biggest USA problem – economically, politically and military. Strong Turkey is also weakening EU and this is good for USA as we are competing on many levels (banking, industry, science).
Does he ever shut up??
@oliverjumelle: 45 loves the sound of his own voice, so I wouldn’t bet on him shutting up
have your say