October 18: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Storm Babet: Disruptive rain, flooding and strong winds forecast by Met Éireann
Met Éireann has issued a warning for disruptive rain, causing flooding in some parts, for most southern coastal counties on Wednesday morning. There will be outbreaks of heavy rain throughout the day and strong winds due to to Storm Babet, and an orange weather warning remains in place for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. A yellow weather warning has been issued for Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan That warning is due to the risk of flooding, dangerous road conditions and possible wave overtopping at high tide amid heavy rain and strong gusts.
The Irish Times

Record number to receive Junior Cycle exam results
A record number of students will receive the results of their Junior Cycle exams today. Some 70,727 sat the exams this year, which is a 5% increase on 2022. It is the first time that the number of candidates taking Junior Cycle tests – or its Junior Cert and Inter Cert predecessors – has exceeded 70,000. The results will be distributed to students in schools today at a time decided by individual schools.
RTÉ

Elderly man dies in Wicklow house fire
An elderly man has died in a house fire in Co Wicklow overnight. Emergency services responded to reports of a fire at a residence on Roundwood in the early hours of this morning. The fire began at around 12:30am and the man, aged in his 80s, was fatally injured. His body remains at the scene, which is currently preserved and a post-mortem will take place in due course. Gardaí say investigations are ongoing.
The Journal

Gardaí on alert as ‘dangerous’ gangland target James ‘Nellie’ Walsh hides out in Co Kildare town
A major garda alert is in place for Ireland’s most under-threat gangland target who is considered to be armed and dangerous. Officers have been advised to use extreme caution if they approach criminal James ‘Nellie’ Walsh (37), who is believed to be armed with a handgun. Walsh, who is understood to be under the highest threat level, is believed to be hiding out in a Co Kildare town where he has a number of criminal associates. He is understood to be armed and moving from house to house in a bid to avoid his enemies and gardaí. Gardaí have now stepped up armed patrols in the town amid fears of a gangland gun attack.
Independent.ie

Health budget deficit sparks conflict within Coalition
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has held talks with Tánaiste Micheál Martin in a bid to de-escalate tensions within the Coalition over the massive health budget deficit. The matter was addressed at a Government leaders’ meeting amid fears the row could cause a major crisis for the Coalition.
The Irish Examiner

Israel says its evidence shows hospital blast caused by Gazan rocket
Israel says a blast at a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening was caused by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. The IDF says its evidence shows a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket, fired from a cemetery, landed in the hospital car park.
BBC News

Israel-Hamas war: Summit between Jordan, US, Egypt and Palestinian leaders cancelled on eve of Biden’s Middle East visit
A summit between between Palestinian, US, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders, has been cancelled, just hours before Joe Biden was due to visit the region. The US president was set to meet them after his visit to Israel on Wednesday. The summit’s cancellation is a blow to Mr Biden’s diplomatic efforts over the Middle East crisis.
Sky News

Russian sources disappeared after Trump declassified ex-spy’s evidence, UK court told
Donald Trump’s decision to declassify evidence given by a former British spy about the former US president’s alleged links with Russia led to the disappearance of two Russian sources, according to a court document. Christopher Steele, who used to run MI6’s Russia desk, compiled the notorious “Steele dossier” investigating Trump’s connections to Russia. In a witness statement released on Tuesday, Steele said publication of his testimony to the Mueller investigation on the matter, originally classified secret, was an “egregious and reckless act” that “served no purpose other than to expose me and Orbis [Steele’s company], our sources and our methods”. Trump is attempting to sue Orbis Business Intelligence in England over the dossier, which alleged that he engaged in “perverted sexual behaviour” and paid bribes to Russian officials to further his business interests. The former president is claiming breach of his data protection rights and says the dossier’s claims against him were “false” and “phoney” and caused him reputational damage and distress.
The Guardian

Today’s forecast
Outbreaks of heavy rain today with some flooding likely. Rain will be especially heavy in southern coastal counties during the morning with a heightened risk of flooding and disruption there. Highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees, in a moderate to fresh and gusty east to southeast wind, easing in southern areas later. Rain will be widespread across the country tonight with heavy falls bringing the chance of localised flooding. Turning drier from the south later although there will be some showers also. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in moderate southeast breezes. Status Orange Rain Warning is in place for Cork, Kerry and Waterford, while a Status Yellow Rain Warning has been issued for all of Leinster and Connacht, along with Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.
Met Éireann