January 16: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Traffic and travel: Dublin commuters to ‘drive with care’ and expect delays after M50 collision
Dublin commuters are being urged to “drive with care” and “expect delays” after there was a collision on the M50. The incident took place between Junction 7, Lucan and Junction 9, Red Cow South. Traffic is very slow as a result. Emergency services are now on the scene, the right and middle lanes are now blocked and the left lane is partially blocked. There has been a second collision between Junction 4, Ballymun (north) slip M50 to R108 (north). There are also delays expected near Dublin Airport after a car breakdown on the M1, Junction 2 Airport Direction (north). Meanwhile, the 6.55am Dublin Connolly to Sligo service is running approximately 26 minutes late due to a mechanical issue. Passengers can also expect delays of approximately 20 minutes to Maynooth services due to a mechanical issue on train in advance.The 7.43am Maynooth to Connolly service has been cancelled this morning due to this.
Independent.ie

1% of Irish population owns a quarter of the wealth, claims Oxfam report
The wealthiest 1% of Irish society now owns more than a quarter of the country’s wealth or €232 billion, a new report from Oxfam claims. The research also shows that with €15 billion between them, the two richest people here have 50% more wealth than the poorest half of the population. In total the study, based on data collated from Forbes, Credit Suisse and Wealth-X, found eight Irish people are worth over €1 billion, down one from last year. But 1,435 individuals in Ireland are worth over €47m while 20,575 own over € 4.7m. Over the last decade, the numbers in both those categories has more than doubled, the analysis found, as wealth creation in Ireland grows.
RTÉ

Irish people among fastest in world to react to cost-of-living crisis, study finds
Irish people were among the first in the world to recognise the scale of the cost-of-living crisis last year as painful memories of the 2008 financial crash prompted consumers here to quickly modify their spending habits, a global study published on Monday suggests. The research details the toll consumer inflation is having on people in Ireland and across the world, with about a third of those who took part saying that they were struggling to make ends meet. Along with the Greeks – who also endured significant hardship from 2008 – the Irish were fastest to react to the crisis, with 70% of people in both countries reducing their expenses in recent months. A further 19% of Irish consumers said they were “actively planning” to reduce their spending as this year progresses, just behind Greece, where 21 per cent say they are planning on cutting back.
The Irish Times

‘Totally broken’: Donnelly tells Government hospitals should be exempted from planning rules
The Government is looking to exempt major hospital projects from current planning rules to enable faster delivery of acute beds, the Irish Examiner can reveal. It is hoped that an accelerated capital process can lead to increased bed capacity in a more timely fashion. In recent days, leading clinicians have claimed an additional 5,000 beds are required. Under current laws, it could take 15 years to achieve such a target. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has sought legal advice from the Attorney General to allow such planning exemptions to radically speed up the delivery of much-needed beds. Officials at the Department of Health have also been ordered to identify ways to speed up the design and building of the new elective hospitals.
The Irish Examiner

‘Hundreds of drug driving prosecutions’ in limbo as gardaí await critical High Court case
Hundreds of drug driving prosecutions are in limbo as lawyers and gardaí await a judgment in the High Court. The Journal has learned that some contested drug driving cases have been adjourned for more than 12 months in multiple district court areas. It is understood that cases are coming to these courts but, often, only those with defendants who plead guilty reach conclusion and are sentenced. In cases where the defendants have pleaded not guilty, there are delays before the district court can begin a trial. The issue has arisen because of a case, DPP v O’Leary, which is currently before the High Court and is expected to return a ruling in the coming months.
The Journal

Nepal plane crash: Tourist ‘recorded last moments before impact’ on mobile phone
The black box and cockpit flight recorder of a plane that crashed in Nepal have been found, raising hopes of establishing the reasons for the deaths of the passengers and crew. A mobile phone was also recovered from the crash site which apparently contains video recorded by a passenger on their mobile phone moments before impact. All but four of the 72 people on board the Yeti Airlines plane that crashed near a gorge on Sunday were confirmed dead yesterday, and local officials said this morning the chances of finding any survivors was “nil”. An Irishman was among those on board the plane.
The Independent UK

Mursal Nabizada: Gunmen kill former Afghan MP at home in Kabul
A former Afghan MP and her bodyguard have been shot dead at her home in the capital Kabul, Afghan police have said. Mursal Nabizada, 32, was one of the few female MPs who stayed in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Her brother and a second security guard were wounded in the attack on Sunday. Former colleagues praised Ms Nabizada as a “fearless champion for Afghanistan” who turned down a chance to leave the country. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, women have been removed from nearly all areas of public life. Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said security forces had started a serious investigation into the incident.
BBC News

Today’s forecast
Cold this morning with a sharp frost, patches of mist or fog and icy stretches. These will clear slowly and may linger in places. Mainly dry with sunny spells. Showers in west Munster will mainly become confined to the southwest coast by noon. Scattered showers in north Ulster, some wintry. Highest temperatures of just 1 to 4 degrees with light northwest breezes. Tonight will be very cold with a widespread severe frost, patches of mist and fog and icy stretches. Most areas will be dry. However, outbreaks of sleet or snow may develop in parts of Kerry and Cork and there will be some wintry showers in Ulster and north Connacht. Lowest temperatures of -1 to -5 degrees. A Status Yellow Ice warning has been issued for the country, valid until 12pm today, with experts warning that icy stretches likely this morning. Hazardous travelling conditions are expected, especially on untreated roads and footpaths. Some patches of freezing fog are also possible.
Met Éireann