Simon Harris has survived a motion of no confidence in the Dáil to keep his job as Health Minister.

Sinn Fein tabled the motion over his handling of the huge cost overruns at the National Children’s Children hospital project.

In the end, it was defeated by 58 votes to 53.

There were 37 abstentions - almost all from Fianna Fáil TDs who stepped aside as part of the confidence and supply agreement.

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At least 70 people have died and dozens more have been injured in a warehouse fire in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka.

It is feared the number of dead could climb further as fire-fighters continue to search through the wreckage for more victims.

The blaze broke out in the four-storey building on Wednesday night in the Chawkbazar area of Old Dhaka and quickly spread to four neighbouring properties.

At least 50 people were taken to hospital, some in a critical condition.

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Pope Francis will open a summit this morning on how to deal with cases of child sex abuse by members of the clergy.

Almost 200 church leaders will gather in Rome for the meeting on child protection.

Archbishop Eamon Martin - who's representing Irish bishops - has apologised to survivors for "too many failures" by the church.

The summit will run for four days.

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Britain's Brexit Secretary and the UK Attorney General will be in Brussels today as efforts continue to break the impasse over the backstop in Brexit discussions.

Stephen Barkley and Geoffrey Cox will meet with Chief EU Negotiator Michel Barnier.

It follows the meeting between the British Prime Minister Theresa May and the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker yesterday.

That meeting was described as “constructive”- with the two leaders discussing what guarantees may be needed to convince to underscore the “temporary nature” of the Irish border backstop.

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Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been charged with making a false police report after claiming he was targeted in a racist and homophobic attack.

The 36-year-old, who is black and came out as gay in 2015, made a tearful appearance on Good Morning America this month and said he had been "forever changed" by the alleged assault.

He claimed he was beaten by two masked men in downtown Chicago on January 29th – and told police the attackers shouted racist and homophobic slurs, tied a noose around his neck and poured a chemical substance on him.

Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report after two brothers, who were earlier deemed suspects, testified before a grand jury.