Fighting in Luhansk

According to a report, russian backed seperatists in the Donbas region accused the Ukraine army of shelling their positions, while Kiev claimed their soldiers were being attacked. Reportedly, a separatist official in the Luhansk region said there had been a large scale operation from the Ukraine army, and they had returned fire. According to the report, the Ukrainian military command said shells cut off the power supply in half the town of Stanytsia.

Reportedly, an observer mission for the organisation of security and cooperation in europe is expected to offer its assessment of the situation later.

According to the report, the u.s. and uk have accused Russia of disinformation over its claim it is withdrawing its troops.

New maternity hospital will perform terminations

According to a report, the national maternity hospital is moving to Saint Vincent’s, Elm park, Dublin. Reportedly, a social democrat leader said there was an agreement between the health care executive and saint Vincent’s health care group. ‘Not many people believe,’ she said, ‘myself included, that the Catholic church will allow terminations to be performed on the land.’

According to the report, under proposals aimed at advancing the €800 million project, the hse license for the hospital is to include legal measures requiring it to provide all medical procedures required under irish law. Reportedly, following the transfer, the st Vincent’s site would come under state control for 299 years. According to the report, the text of the agreement between the hse, the national maternity hospital and st Vincent’s healthcare group would be incorporated directly into the license.

Homelessness in Ireland

According to a report, four funerals for homeless people took place this week. Reportedly, one of an Irish man of unknown age, two polish men of 36 and 47 and one Romanian man of 47. According to a report, the mortality rate for homeless men is six to ten times higher than the general population, the suicide rate is six times higher.

Reportedly, homelessness in Ireland used to affect older males who may have alcohol or addiction problems, but into the nineties and 21st Century, increasingly younger. According to reports, government figures for homelessness do not include those in hostels. The number of people in emergency accomodation during the week of November 22-28 was 9,099, including 2,458 children. Some living semi permanently in hotels with no cooking facilities.

The european court of justice

Reportedly, under 2011 legislation gardai could make requests directly to telecom companies for data on a suspect’s mobile phone use, including when or where they used their phone and for how long. Reportedly, under the act the companies were obliged to retain such data on all users for two years.

According to reports, Graham Dwyer was convicted of the murder of Elaine O’Hara in 2015 based on historic phone records, but in 2018 parts of the legislation were ruled invalid by the high court. Reportedly, a formal striking down of the 2011 law was put on hold pending the states appeal to the supreme court. According to the report, the supreme court asked the court of justice of the eu to decide on issues of eu law affecting the case. Reportedly, an advocate general, senior judicial advisor to the cjeu gave an opinion on Thursday February 3, supporting Dwyer’s arguments that the Irish regime breached eu law. According to the report, he said, ‘general and indiscriminate retention of traffic and location data is justified only in the protection of national security’. Reportedly, the opinion is not binding. According to the report, the court will hand down its judgement in the coming weeks.

According to a report, the cjeu has ruled in favour of withholding funding, condition al on a countries adherence to eu rule of law. Reportedly, the ruling, delivered on Wednesday morning paves the way for the european commision to apply the mechanism for the very first time, and request the freezing of eu funds, a process that could take five to nine months.

According to the report, Poland and Hungary were quick to condemn the ruling. Reportedly, Poland’s deputy Justice minister said, we need to defend ourselves against an attack on our sovereignty. Poland has to defend its democracy against blackmail that aims to take away our right to decide about ourselves. According to the report, Hungary’s Justice minister called it a politically motivated judgement and living proof that the eu is abusing its powers.

Surge of elderly presenting at emergency departments

According to a report, the number of people attending emergency services has reached record levels. Reportedly, around 28,000 people attended during the week ending February 6, the highest figure in the history of the health service executive. According to the report, the surge in attendances related to people over 75, up by over 45% on last year. Reportedly, the hse chief operating officer said there was a real concern about the number of older people presenting, who are more sick and frail, so take longer to get better.

According to a report, there is no significant rise in covid related hospitalisations or intensive care unit admissions. Reportedly, the number of covid related hospitalisations fell below 600 yesterday, and half of these are patients suffering from something else. According to the report, deaths appear to be within the range of previous winters.

Government announced largest sports grant

Reportedly, decisions to increase the energy rebate will do little to alleviate the challenges of the price of oil and gas. According to the report, Sinn Fein proposed three times the size of the rebate to a more targeted group of people. Reportedly, the €200 rebate will be available to bill payers.

According to reports, inflation has led to many people facing difficulties paying for necessities. Meanwhile, reportedly the government has announced the largest sports grant in the history of the country. Reportedly, 1,900 clubs and schools will receive a share of the €150 million grant. According to the report, gaa, rugby and soccer will be the main recipients.

The palestinian question

According to a report, tensions escalating in the east Jerusalem suburb of Sheikh Jarrah are thought to be a response to certain Palestinian families losing their case against eviction. Reportedly, a Jewish home was firebombed over the weekend, and an Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir set up a parliamentary office in the area, campaigning for a police presence.

According to reports, Itamar Ben Gvir is leader of the Otzma Yehuid party and member of the Israeli parliament. Reportedly, the party has been referred to as kahanist and anti arab, kahanist being of the view that the majority of arabs living in Israel are enemies of Israel.

According to a report, Itamar Ben Gvir, whose father was born in Israel to Jewish Iraqi immigrants has called for the expulsion of arab citizens who are not loyal to Israel. Reportedly, there were 165,000 jews living in Iraq, constituting one of the world’s oldest and most significant jewish communities. With no temple in which to meet, Jews of ancient Babylonia met in people’s houses to study the Torah or first five books of the bible as written then. The book of Job was thought to be written in Babylonia, as was the Jewish talmud, religious writings designed to enlighten biblical text. Synagogues evolved, as for purpose buildings were built.

Babylonian Jews returned fifty years or so after the exile, though the affluent were less likely to do so. According to a report, early zionism (consisting of returnees working on community farms known as Kibbutzim) mainly related to european Jews.

Reportedly, the british mandate of Iraq (1914-1932) resulted in well educated Jews playing an important role. According to a report, the first Iraqi minister of finance was a Jewish man, Jewish people were important in developing the judicial system, and ten out of the nineteen members of the Baghdad chamber of commerce were Jewish.

Reportedly, Itamar Ben Gvir grew up in a Jerusalem suburb, his mother was a Kurdish jew who was active in the irgun, an active paramilitary organisation in mandatory Palestine. According to the report, he worked for an oil company and adopted right wing views. Reportedly, when he reached eighteen, the age of conscription into the Israeli defence force he was exempted because of his right wing views. He is thought to be included in the prime minister’s far right list. All that is needed now is muslim representation.

Fuel poverty

Reportedly, over the last four winters in England and Wales nearly 120,000 older people have died of the cold. According to the report, an older person dies every seven minutes in the uk from the cold. Reportedly, campaigners say that excessive winter deaths are more to do with poverty than freezing temperatures, mortality rates are higher than much colder countries such as Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Reportedly, Alone, the organisation that supports older people to live at home has issued an open letter to the minister of social protection, minister for environment, climate and communications, and minister of state for mental health and older people calling for action on fuel poverty. According to the report, the letter calls for an increase in fuel allowance for the remaining season, an immediate increase, one that takes into consideration the dramatic rise in inflation, to ensure no older person has to choose between heating and eating.

Government stake in Bank of Ireland below 6%

According to a report, the government’s stake in bank of Ireland has fallen below 6% as it continues to sell down its interest in the bank over the last weeks. Reportedly, the stake which is held by the finance minister, fell on February 8 to 5.9% said bank of Ireland to the stock exchange on February 10.

According to a report, Irish life, the country’s largest life insurance company and pensions group saw its underlying profits rise by 36% last year. Reportedly, the result means less money was paid out. As morbidity rates rose in view of the pandemic, Probably a pandemic unemployment payment of up to €350 per week counterbalanced income protection claims.

According to a report, Irish life was purchased by the holding company, Great west life co. Reportedly, the Great west life co. annual accounts give a limited picture of the performance of Irish life. According to a report, the underlying profit figures excludes acquisition costs and legal settlements. Reportedly, greater disclosures are contained in annual filings, by the Irish unit to the company’s registration office, in the middle of the year.

Russia offer a sign of deescalatio

Reportedly, Russia offered a sign of de-escalation along the Ukraine border by announcing that some troops have pulled back.

According to a report, Russian mp’s have urged the president to recognise the Donetsk people’s republic and the Luhansk people’s republic as independent. Both make up the Donbas region where russian backed separatists, possibly mercenaries have been fighting the Ukraine government since 2014.

According to the report, two resolutions were presented to the lower house, one for recognition with immediate effect, the second to be sent to the foreign ministry for study and feedback. Reportedly, the speaker of the lower house said that recognition would guarantee the security and protection of the people of the republics from external threats, and will initiate the process of international recognition of both states. According to the report, he accused Ukraine of a complete economic blockade of the two areas.

According to the report, deputies of Russia consider recognition of the Donetsk people’s republic and the Luhansk people’s republic justified. Reportedly, such recognition would be the death knell to the minsk protocol, mentioned between the russian and french president in a telephone call at the weekend.

According to a report, the minsk protocol comprises of a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of military equipment and mercenaries, dialogue on interim self government, amnesty for fighters, humanitarian assistance, Ukraine to restore control of state border and constitutional reform in Ukraine, including decentralisation, with particular reference to Donetsk and Luhansk.