Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are to embark on a final frantic 24 hours of campaigning as both teams insist the election remains closely fought. For election updates throughout the day click here.

Approximately nine requests a day for refuge from domestic violence were refused last year because the services were full, according to Safe Ireland. The national agency, which works towards ending domestic violence, said services were unable to provide accommodation for 3,256 requests in 2018. The CEO of Safe Ireland said that the Government is continuing to “starve” services of funding and resources needed with no additional funds for the domestic violence sector in Budget 2020.

The Faculty of Paediatrics at the Royal College of Physicians has called on the Government to abolish the system of direct provision for housing asylum seekers over concern for the welfare of children. Read more about that here.

The Times reports that Ireland is to join an alliance of countries throughout the world committing to higher ambition on climate actions, notably in reducing carbon emissions. The Minister for Climate Action and Environment, who is to deliver Ireland’s “national statement” at COP25 on Wednesday, confirmed Ireland is to join the Carbon Neutrality Coalition (CNC). It includes countries with the most ambitious decarbonisation targets – notably Scandinavian countries along with France, Germany, the UK and Canada. 

Ireland has the third highest quality of life in the world, according to a new study by the United Nations, coming behind Norway and Switzerland. 

A new initiative has been launched by the Teaching Council, which is bringing conversations about what's right and wrong with the education system to local communities. The scheme, called BEACONS, sees pupils from both primary and post-primary schools, their teachers, parents and principals, as well as other interested parties, sitting down together over about eight hours to share their views.

The Garda is to select “champions” among its ranks who will be responsible for generating conversations about human rights within the force and encouraging members to attend training in the area. The move is part of an overhaul of the Garda approach to human rights which will also see it conduct urgent reviews of its policies regarding high speed chases and the use of firearms.

And finally, Gay Community News has given our quiz in aid of TENI a plug. We're kicking off at 5.30 tomorrow in Nerney's Court and you still have time to register a table. The Fórsa Choir will also be holding their inaugural performance - it can't be missed! Click here for more info.

ZMOTY 2019

Today's Zen Moment of the Year nomination is from Hazel Gavigan. 

"My favourite moment of the year has to be this video from an October digest of brothers Fayard and Harold Nicholas dancing in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. Years later, Harold recalled that they never actually rehearsed the jumps over each other’s heads down the stairs and somehow still managed to execute the entire routine in what was a true one take wonder. Try watch without wincing!"