BULLETIN: Cardiff's Sala confirmed to have been on board missing plane; 500 ambulance staff on strike over union recognition row

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

GET INFORMED ...

WORLD: Cardiff City's Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala was aboard a small passenger plane that went missing off the coast of the island of Guernsey, France's civil aviation authority has said.

IRELAND: 500 ambulance personnel are striking today, in a dispute with the HSE over union recognition.

IRELAND: The lawyer for an American man being held in Moscow on suspicion of spying has said that classified Russian materials were found on him when he was arrested.

IRELAND: Locals in towns and villages across the country could soon be allowed to act as taxi drivers to plug a public transport gap.

BUSINESS: Aldi has announced it will create 500 jobs and open seven new stores in 2019.

BUSINESS: Glanbia Ireland is to create 80 new jobs after it announced plans to build a new €140m cheese manufacturing facility in Belview, Co Kilkenny.

SPORT: Cristiano Ronaldo has pleaded guilty to tax fraud and received a two-year suspended sentence.

... SOME DISTRACTION

VIRAL: Yesterday Azealia Banks made headlines after removing herself from an Aer Lingus flight following an incident with a flight attendant. She went on to blast the airline on her Instagram and make multiple comments about “ugly Irish women”.

SHOWBIZ: Drake has announced not one, not two but three Irish dates.

FEATURE: Great music and gripes about Irish radio featured at the first incarnation of Doolin’s new festival.