October 05: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Irish man Rory Mason, 23, ‘killed in action’ in Ukraine
An Irish man has been “killed in action” in Ukraine, his family has confirmed. Rory Mason, 23, was fighting in the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Dunboyne, Co Meath native was fighting in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border. Mr Mason enlisted to fight in Ukraine last March. His father said he had “a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice”. The International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine said Rory Mason was taking part in the Kharkiv counteroffensive with his unit and was “killed in action”.
RTÉ

Over €1.1 billion spent on National Children’s Hospital so far
Over €1.1 billion has been spent so far on the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, the hospital’s development board will tell politicians this morning. The Chief Officer of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB), David Gunning, is set to tell TDs and Senators this morning that a total of €1,130,409,151 has been spent on the construction of the National Children’s Hospital up to August. Gunning is set to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health this morning to discuss the ongoing construction of the new hospital, which was started in 2016.
The Journal

Anger as people with company cars hit with huge benefit-in-kind tax increase
Thousands of workers with company cars are to be hit with a massive hike in tax. The changes, coming in January, mean that benefit-in-kind (Bik) tax is going to soar by 40pc, in some cases, for those who are given a vehicle by their employer because they have to travel for their jobs. It comes at a time when petrol and diesel prices have soared along with a surge in the cost of living. There could be as many as 150,000 company cars on Irish roads, according to industry experts.
Independent.ie

Angelina Jolie details Brad Pitt abuse allegations in court filing
A court filing Tuesday from Angelina Jolie alleges that on a 2016 flight, Brad Pitt grabbed her by the head and shook her then choked one of their children and struck another when they tried to defend her. The descriptions of abuse on the private flight came in a cross-complaint Jolie filed in the couple’s dispute over a French home and winery they co-owned that is separate from their ongoing divorce, which she sought soon after.
The Irish Examiner 

Kevin Spacey trial begins in New York, five years after sexual abuse accusations
Actor Kevin Spacey faces the first of a series of sexual abuse claims dating back decades on Thursday in New York in a trial that may come to overshadow a glittering career on stage and screen that included two Oscars and numerous other top awards. The case against the 63-year-old American focuses on accusations by Anthony Rapp, a star of the Broadway musical Rent, who five years ago publicly accused Spacey of sexual assault when he was a teenager. In the subsequent lawsuit now coming to trial, Rapp alleges that Spacey – whose real name is Kevin Spacey Fowler – acted to gratify his sexual desire during an encounter at a Manhattan party in 1986, when he was 14 and Spacey 26 or 27.
The Guardian

Today’s forecast
Today will be windy and will feel cold in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds. Rain in the east and southeast will clear through the morning, leaving a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers for the rest of the day. Some of the showers will be heavy, possibly turning thundery at times, before becoming isolated for the evening. Highest afternoon temperatures of 10°C to 15°C, mildest in the southeast. Tonight will start largely dry and clear. Scattered showers will spread from the west overnight, potentially turning heavy in places. Remaining breezy in moderate to fresh southwest winds, strong along western and northwestern coasts. Lowest temperatures of 7°C to 11°C.
Met Éireann