Ross in call for all-island inquiry into NAMA sales
Independent TD Shane Ross has said it would be a good idea to have an all-island inquiry into the sale of Northern Ireland properties by NAMA.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Ross questioned NAMA's procedures in the sale and said when Pimco pulled out of the deal NAMA should have pulled the sale and started again and had a proper competition.
Mr Ross said he is not accusing NAMA of any improper behaviour in the sale, but said the agency sold the deal short.
He said it was unforgivable that NAMA told the Public Accounts Committee yesterday that it would not cooperate with a Northern Ireland inquiry.
NAMA chairman Frank Daly told the PAC that the agency will not appear before the NI Finance Committee and while it would help in any way it could, it is only accountable to Oireachtas committees.
Man charged over Belfast murder
A 46-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a leading loyalist in Belfast on Wednesday night.
Colin 'Bap' Lindsay was attacked with a samurai sword in his home in the Belvoir estate.
Albert Armstrong of Mahee Close on the Belvoir estate is charged with murder and attempted murder. He is due in court again, via videolink, on 7 August.
A 52-year-old man who was injured in the incident is in a critical condition in hospital.
The PSNI said Mr Lindsay’s murder was not related to terrorism and not associated with any loyalist feud.
Labour Parliamentary Chair to step down
Jack Wall, the Parliamentary Chair of the Labour Party, has announced that he is not seeking re-election in Kildare South.
Mr Wall was first elected to the Dáil in 1997, having previously sat in the Seanad for four years.
Tánaiste Joan Burton and fellow Kildare South TD Martin Heydon were among those to wish Mr Wall well on his retirement, with Ms Burton saying: "Jack has been one of politics’ true gentlemen and Leinster House will certainly be the poorer for his retirement."
UN calls for urgent help in Greek refugee crisis
The United Nations refugee agency said that Greece urgently needs help to cope with 1,000 migrants arriving each day and called on the European Union to step in before the humanitarian situation deteriorates further.
More than 77,000 people have arrived by sea to Greece so far this year, more than 60% of them Syrians, with others fleeing Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea and Somalia, it said.
"We would expect the EU to activate its emergency response because Greece is part of the EU. This is happening in Europe, on the doorstep of Europe," William Spindler of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees told a briefing. "Greece urgently needs help and we expect Europe to step forward."
Turkey arrests 21 suspected IS members
Turkey has detained 21 suspected members of the self-styled Islamic State group, including three non-Turkish nationals, in a major operation.
Turkish state medai said the operation took place across a number of cities, including Istanbul.
The suspects, who were arrested in pre-dawn raids, are suspected of helping the jihadist group recruit people from Europe.
Earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands
A shallow 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck in the Pacific off the Solomon Islands, seismologists said, but no tsunami threat was issued and no major damage was expected.
The quake hit 154km southwest of Dadali and 170km west of the capital Honiara, according to the US Geological Survey.
USGS had initially measured the earthquake at 7.0 magnitude but revised it down.
It was followed by a 5.3 tremor.
Investigation after man's body discovered in Dublin
An investigation is under way after a man's body was found in the Grand Canal in Dublin.
The man is believed to be aged in his 30s or 40s. His body was found near Charlemont Place at around 5am.
The scene has been preserved for a forensic examination, however, gardaí say they are not treating the discovery as suspicious.
