By Sarah Gill
17th Nov 2022
17th Nov 2022
Your speedy summary of today's must-read stories.
Rising toll charges
Toll charges on the majority of Irish roads are set to increase to “maximum level” from 1 January 2023. This is linked to inflation, which has increased by 8.6% between August 2021 and August 2022. Transport Infrastructure Ireland said revenue is used for purposes including motorway maintenance, toll collection and operations, and for the maintenance of the wider national road network.
Mass Amazon layoffs
Amazon becomes the latest tech company to rapidly shrink its workforce amid rising fears about the wider economic environment. Amazon is set to lay off about 260 workers at various facilities that employ data scientists, software engineers and other corporate workers, beginning on January 17. Job cuts of Amazon employees are not planned, according to Leo Varadkar.
Garda trainees quitting before qualification
New statistics show that there has been an increase in the number of trainee gardaí resigning before their probationary period ends. According to figures obtained by The Journal as part of an investigation into Garda staff retention, 21 trainees left before their two years of training ended back in 2018, a number which rose steadily in following years, with over 50 trainees quitting their position in 2021.
Andy Warhol artwork sells for $85.4 million
Andy Warhol’s silkscreen prints of a mangled car crash has joined the most valuable post-war works ever to sell at auction. White Disaster (White Car Crash 19 Times) — created in 1963 — fetched $85.4 million at Sotheby’s in New York, a sum the auction house described as “monumental.”
Republicans win majority
Following the midterm elections, the Republican Party has won control of the US House of Representatives, securing the the 218 seats needed to win the majority in House after days of counting. Joe Biden said he was “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families”, and congratulated Kevin McCarthy, the current Republican leader in the House of Representatives, on his party’s victory.
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