Boy B withdraws appeal
Boy B, one of two teenagers convicted of murdering 14-year-old Ana Kriegel, has withdrawn an appeal against his conviction.
The appeal was scheduled to start on Wednesday morning, but at a brief hearing the boy's lawyers told the three-judge Court of Appeal that their client no longer wishes to go ahead with the hearing.
Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding, asked Boy B directly if he had consulted his lawyers, if he understood the implications of a decision to withdraw, and if it was his wish to have the appeal withdrawn. "It is," he replied.
James Dwyer SC, for Boy B, confirmed there is no appeal against Boy B's sentence of 15 years' detention with a review after eight years.
Irishman killed in Ukraine
An Irishman has been killed while fighting in Ukraine, his family have confirmed.
Rory Mason (23), from Dunboyne, Co Meath, died while fighting for Ukraine’s International Legion near the Russian border.
The Mason family learnt of his death from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is providing consular assistance.
The family said they are in contact with representatives of the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine, for which he enlisted last March.
Youth unemployment hits 12.4%
The number of people aged 15-24 who were unemployed rose to 12.4 per cent in September according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The seasonally adjusted rate increase from 11.8 per cent in August, showing an increase in the number of young males without work, increasing from 13.5 to 14.7 per cent.
Overall unemployment figures declined slightly in the same timeframe, from approximately 117,7000 to 116,900, remaining at 4.3 per cent.
Central Bank predicts higher inflation next year
The Central Bank has pushed up its 2023 inflation projections and revised down its forecast for economic growth for the third quarter in row, but expects the drag on disposable incomes to ease in the second half of next year.
With inflation currently estimated at 8.6 per cent, the bank nudged up its forecast for 2022 to 8 per cent from 7.8 per cent and said there remains upside risks to the inflation outlook and downside risks to the growth forecast.
