The biggest stories you can’t miss this morning.
At Home: Taoiseach responds to rumours about Christmas lockdown
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has responded to rumours about a pending Christmas lockdown.
He eased the public’s nerves by confirming there was no plan to introduce a lockdown before the holiday season.
He stressed that Ireland is in a far greater state than it was in 2020.
Martin admitted he is concerned about the high cases numbers and infection rates, but a drastic return to lockdown is not yet on the cards.
He told Today FM’s Dermot and Dave, “I don’t see Christmas lockdowns but we may have to imaginatively look at how we behave and manage events and so on like that.”
However, he did say that the country would be under lockdown if it wasn’t for the successful vaccine programme.
“We’re in a much better position to last year because the power of vaccination has been dramatic. If we didn’t have vaccination now, we’d be in lockdown because of the highly transmissible Delta variant.”
“I don’t see dramatic going back, but because of socialisation and because we have reopened society and with the Delta variant that has resulted in very high case numbers and that is concerning and worrying.”
Three people rescued from the River Liffey
Dublin Fire Brigade has rescued 3 people from the River Liffey.
It is believed two people jumped into the river to help a man just before 5 pm on November 11th.
Emergency services received multiple 999 calls from the public.
Firefighters and one of their rescue boats responded to the incident on Wellington Quay.
One of the men was rushed to the Mater Hospital. The other two were taken to St. James’s Hospital.
None of the 3 are believed to have life-threatening injuries.
Gardaí confirm multiple needle spiking incidents in Ireland
Gardaí have confirmed multiple needle spiking incidents in Ireland.
There are major concerns about the increase in these attacks in recent weeks.
A Garda spokesperson said numerous investigations are underway.
Gardaí confirmed “the commencement of one investigation into an alleged assault, where a female became disorientated possibly caused by a drug administered by a needle prick.”
Anyone who has experienced a similar attack has been urged to contact the Gardaí.
World: Concerns for heavily pregnant 20-year-old missing since November 3rd
Police in England are concerned about a heavily pregnant 20-year-old who has been missing since November 3rd.
Trinity was last seen at a hotel in Cheltenham at the start of the month.
It is believed she is traveling in a vehicle.
Police are concerned for her welfare.
Trinity is of pale complexion, 5ft 6ins tall with very long, dark, streaked hair
https://twitter.com/Glos_Police/status/1458851958702452744
Celebrity: Ed Sheeran opens up about struggle to start a family
Ed Sheeran has opened up about the struggle to start a family.
The Bad Habits singer and his wife Cherry welcomed a baby girl called Lyra in August 2020. The doting dad admitted the road to parenthood was not easy.
He told The Breakfast Club radio show, “We had tried for a while to have a kid, and we’d started going to doctors and figuring out what was up.”
“I did think it was a miracle, so that’s why I was like, we should have this in the name.”
