LUNCHTIME BULLETIN: Audio contradicts Shane Ross' denial that Leo Varadkar made promises on local issues; Puerto Ricans 'ran out of food yesterday'

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin.

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IRELAND: The head of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Sean Fleming, has claimed the Government "infected the garda process" of deciding what Garda stations should be re-opened.

IRELAND: The Irish Examiner today releases audio from an interview conducted by Political Correspondent Juno McEnroe with Minister of State John Halligan on August 28.

IRELAND: Two tropical storms are set to hit Irish shores by the weekend. Met Éireann says there will be unsettled weather with Tropical Storms Lee and Maria in the Atlantic "making details uncertain" over Ireland.

WORLD: The Trump administration has declared that its relief efforts in Puerto Rico are succeeding, but people on the island said help was scarce eight days after Hurricane Maria devastated the US territory.

ANALYSIS: Yesterday’s hearing at the Public Accounts Committee should set off alarm bells for anybody interested in policing, writes Michael Clifford.

BUSINESS: Up to 10 more customers of Permanent TSB have lost their homes on top of the 22 already known from the fallout of the tracker mortgage scandal, while KBC Ireland had said it has still not contacted many customers wrongly put on more expensive loans.

SPORT: Promoting today’s National Fitness Day, Philly McMahon yesterday gave a typically frank interview on Dublin’s All-Ireland SFC triumph, criticism of Jim Gavin, and cynicism in Gaelic football

... SOME DISTRACTION

FEATURES: The charity Irish Heart launches an awareness campaign this weekend to encourage people to check their pulse as a means of detecting irregular heart rate, writes Áilín Quinlan

VIRAL: People are taking to Reddit to share their worst plane stories, and they’re likely to make you feel a whole lot better about any shockers you might have had. Here are some of our favourites.

SHOWBIZ: After what feels like an eternity, our favourite Cork chat show host is finally back on our screens and we’ve never been happier.