Joe Biden confirms death of al Qaida leader al-Zawahri in US drone strike
US president Joe Biden says “justice has been delivered” as he confirmed al Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri was killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan.
Mr Biden expressed hope on Monday that the killing of al-Zawahri brings “one more measure of closure” to families of the victims of the September 11th 2001 attacks on the United States.
He said US intelligence officials tracked al-Zawahri to a home in downtown Kabul where he was hiding out with his family. The president approved the operation last week and it was carried out on Sunday.
Al-Zawahri and the better-known Osama bin Laden plotted the 9/11 attacks that brought many ordinary Americans their first knowledge of al-Qaida.
Government's fuel rationing plans a 'fire drill' for worst case scenario
The chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, Kevin McPartland has described Government plans for fuel rationing as a fire drill “so we will know what to do in the worst case scenario.”
Mr McPartland told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show that the Government had plans in place for many years for potential fuel rationing in case there was ever a threat to fuel supplies.
The Government has an energy security group of which there are sub committees and he was part of the oil sub group, he explained. Meetings of the group were held on an infrequent basis, but had been held more frequently recently with the possibility of fuel shortages because of the war in Ukraine.
“We have to be prudent and plan," he said.
Amount of patients waiting 24 hours for ED treatment trebles
The number of patients waiting over 24 hours at emergency departments has nearly trebled in the first five months of 2022.
The HSE has confirmed there were 25,000 people waiting longer than 24 hours for admission via an ED between January and May. Of those, more than 8,000 patients were over 75.
The figures for all patients in the same period in 2021 was 8,865 of whom 2,500 were over 75s.
The increase cannot be blamed on the country coming out of lockdown.
While the opening months of 2021 were under public health restrictions, figures from the Department have shown that emergency department presentations actually remained stable compared to the same months pre-pandemic.
In January 2021, the first month of a five-month lockdown, there were 114,875 presentations, with 23,867 admissions. That is compared to 113,270 presentations and 29,482 admissions in January 2020, before the Covid pandemic struck.
The HSE's Anne O'Connor said in February that in a one-week period a record number of 28,000 people had presented to EDs.
Government agree contracts worth €99 million to accommodate Ukraine refugees
The government has issued contracts worth €99.3 million for private accommodation and services for Ukrainian refugees.
According to tender documents published by the Department of Integration, Citywest Hotel were awarded contracts worth under €10 million for providing their hub.
While Youghal's Quality Hotel which has a care centre, secured a contract worth €12.5 million.
Some 90 tender documents have been signed to date, however the state are still seeking additional solutions such as housing families on islands.
As reported last week, the Aviva Stadium had been used to temporarily house around 100 refugees before they were moved to other accommodation. It comes as the Government has also been reaching out to the GAA and religious organisations in a bid to secure temporary housing for Ukrainians.
