By Sarah Gill
24th Nov 2022
24th Nov 2022
Your speedy summary of today's must-read stories.
First appearance in court from Colorado shooting suspect
Facing possible murder and hate crime charges for the fatal shooting of five people — Raymond Green Vance, Kelly Loving, Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, and Ashley Paugh — at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ Club Q nightclub, the alleged shooter was held without bail. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, had injuries visible on their face and head in a brief video appearance from jail. The charges against Aldrich are preliminary, and prosecutors have not yet filed formal charges, and a hearing has been set for 6 December.
Emergency social welfare payments
So far this year, 75,000 applications for emergency social welfare payments have been received by the Department of Social Protection. According to Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, overall expenditure on the additional needs payment for the period from January to end of October 2022 amounted to €46 million. The additional needs payment is a payment available to any person who cannot pay an expense from their weekly income.
Indonesian earthquake
The death toll from Monday’s earthquake on Java has leapt to 252 after rescuers found more bodies under collapsed buildings. In addition to those killed, authorities reported that more than 300 people were seriously hurt and at least 600 more suffered minor injuries. It was not immediately clear how many remain missing. The country’s most densely populated province of West Java was near the epicentre of the magnitude 5.6 quake on Monday afternoon, which sent terrified residents fleeing into the streets, some covered in blood and debris.
Property owners urged to house Ukrainian refugees
The Minister for Integration has said the Government is launching “a new call” for unoccupied homes to accommodate those fleeing the war in Ukraine. “These are unoccupied houses, apartments or holiday homes. We are asking people to consider to pledge them for an initial period of six months,” Roderic O’Gorman said on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland. The new initiative will be led by local authorities, who will appeal for unoccupied properties and liaise with owners to assess the suitability of the property and coordinate the arrangements.
Virginia Walmart shooting
Authorities have identified five of the six people who were killed in a Virginia Walmart after the store’s manager began firing Tuesday night, before killing himself. According to the City of Chesapeake, they were identified as Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins, and Tyneka Johnson. The sixth deceased victim was a 16-year-old boy. A company spokesperson said that all six victims were employees of Walmart.